Zamboanga City (CNN Philippines, October 16) — Five fishermen taking shelter from bad weather were abducted by bandits in one of the islands of Sulu, military officials said Monday.
This was confirmed by Joint Task Force Sulu Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana who identified the victims as fishermen and crew members of the FB Danvil 8.
The fishing boat owner, a certain Danvil Gatol Yanoc, reportedly told the Pagadian Coast Guard Station that the crew members were taken after his two vessels, the FB Danvil 8 and the FB Danvil 2 together with nine lifeboats, took shelter from bad weather at Port Poblacion, Pangutaran Sulu late Saturday.
Pangutaran is a group of islands that are part of the Sulu archipelago. It is 180 kms from Zamboanga City.
The abductors arrived aboard two motorized pumpboats at around 8:15pm and forcibly took the crew members. The identity or affiliation of the kidnappers was not immediately known.
Sobejana identified the fishermen as Vergel Aquino, a resident of Davao City; Jushua Ybanes, Emo Fausto, Junald Minalang and Spriano Sardido, residents of Pagadian City.
Sobejana said that Joint Task Force Sulu and the Philippine Coast Guard were pursuing leads on the bandits’ whereabouts.
