Gunmen have taken two Canadians, a Norwegian and a local woman from a
tourist resort in the southern Philippines, an army spokesman said on
Monday. Attackers raided the Holiday Oceanview resort on Samal Island
late on Monday and left by boat, according to Capt. Albert Caber.
The gunmen have not been identified but it appeared
that the four people were targeted rather than randomly abducted. The
Canadian victims were named by Philippine authorities as John Ridsel
(pictured above) and Robert Hall and the Norwegian, Kjartan Sekkingstad,
is said to be the resort manager. The woman has yet to be identified
but is reportedly the partner of one of the kidnapped Canadians.
Military sources said the gunmen spoke English and Tagalog, the language spoken widely in the Philippines.
"Two Japanese tourists tried to intervene but failed," one of the
sources said. The gunmen fled towards the Mindanao mainland with their
captives, the source said.
Three navy ships were sent to search and intercept the gunmen's boat,
while ground units were also alerted to locate possible landing sites in
southeastern Mindanao, an army commander said.
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