By Jong Cadion
ZAMBOANGA CITY (April 17,
2017) - The AFP expresses its extreme indignation for the beheading of a
Kidnap-for-Ransom Victim Mr. Noel Besconde by Terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group Sub
Leader Sadjawaan last Thursday (April 13) in the vicinity of Bgy. Tugas,
Patikul in the nearby province of Sulu.
Mr. Besconde, Filipino, was
one of three members of the crew of FB Ramona who were abducted somewhere in
Celebes Sea last Dec 2016.
Western Mindanao Command
(WesMinCom) Information Officer Cpt.
Jo-Ann D. Petinglay disclosed that the Commander of
Joint Task Force Sulu, BGen. Cirilito Sobejana believes that Mr. Besconde was
murdered by his ASG captors because he was reportedly ill and impedes their
movement to evade the operating units that are hunting them.
"While the AFP condemns
this gruesome murder of this hapless kidnap victim, it all the more drives our
Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines to deliver the lethal blow against this
band of terrorists and rescue the remaining kidnap victims," declares AFP
chief General Eduardo Año.
"This terrorist group
are all the more, by their recent barbarism, fueling the desire of the AFP to
crush their beastly practice, stop their kidnap-for-ransom activities, and
restore peace in Western Mindanao.
"We will never falter.
We will not rest even a bit in our conduct of combat, intelligence, and
civil-military operations to protect our people. We will exhaust all
means-legal and moral-- to bring this war against terrorists to conclusion.
"Meanwhile, I have directed JTF Sulu Commander BGen Sobejana to locate the
remains of the Mr. Besconde forthwith. I desire that his body be brought to his
mournful family and be accorded a decent burial.
"We continue to call on
every God-fearing resident of Sulu, Basilan, and other parts of Western
Mindanao to help your AFP and other security forces to put a stop to this
criminal and evil act of the ASG. They have no place in
our civilized society," concludes General Año.
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