DAVAO CITY - Six foreign nationals have been abducted on Samal Island Monday evening. The victims were checked-in at the Ocean View Resort in Barangay Ilihan when they were reportedly kidnapped by armed men around 10:30 pm Monday. The armed men were believed to be members of the Bangsamoro Army or BAMA, allegedly a breakaway group from the Moro Islamicand Liberation Front (MILF). According to reports, the group was onboard a motorized bangka when they swooped down the yacht club and snatched the victims at gunpoint. The suspects fled towards Pantukan, Compostela Valley province. The Navy and the Coast Guard are currently tracking the suspects. Samal police has yet to identify the victims as well as their nationalities 6 foreign nationals abducted on Samal Island | ABS-CBN News
And this one says 2 Canadians..... Philippine media at its best. 2 Canadians abducted in Samal island | Inquirer Global Nation
And we were all told Davao and surrounding areas were supposed to be safe to visit Reckon that's their tourist industry finished for some time!
Poverty and poor education does not mix well with Islam. It breeds extremism. Davao is far too close to a whole lot of poor, uneducated and desperate Muslims for me.
RGMA Davao's Raul Tolibas said that according to Superintendent Lito Impas of the Samal Island police, at least 20 armed men wearing balaclavas and black shirts stormed the Ocean View Resort in Barangay Camudmud, Babak district before 11 p.m. Tolibas reported that the gunmen went door to door and snatched all of the occupants. Tolibas said that according to Impas the gunmen initially took five people, but a Canadian named Steven and his Japanese wife, Kazuka, were able to jump from the kidnappers' boat. The couple is now confined at a district hospital on the island. The four kidnapped victims were identified as Kjarten Sakkinstad, a Norwegian and operations manager of the resort; Canadians John Ridsel and Robert Hall and his Filipina wife identified only as - See more at: 3 foreigners, Filipina kidnapped from Samal Island resort | News | GMA News Online
It's midnight here in my part of the States and CNN International is just now reporting this on their news cycle. They are reporting the hunt is on for the bad guys - and the hostages. 3 foreigners, Filipina kidnapped in Samal Island - CNN Philippines How far is Samal from Duma? nwlivewire
Thanks Wyre83. GEEZ! Guess I was being lazy when I asked this distance question (it was late for me). Could have Googled it myself. It's an odd addition here. But recently, I've seen a couple of US TV shows about uber wealthy people (Corps? of some kind? but the Reps from these two ventures were an Aussie and a Yank) purchasing small islands in the Philippines with the intent of developing vacation hide-away spots for the international monied folks, big honeymooner spenders, that type of vacationer/clientele. This kidnapping activity may not bode well for their ventures/bottom lines as I doubt the military is big enough to patrol all these island waters. I hope the kidnapped people are found soon - alive and in good health. nwlivewire
