ABU Sayyaf bandits beheaded their seven victims whose bodies were found on the outskirts of Maluso town in Basilan on Sunday afternoon, an official said Monday.
In a statement, Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, regional director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the decomposing bodies of the seven victims were recovered separately in Basilan’s forested areas.
Sindac identified the victims as Nestor de Venagracia and his son Ely, both residents of Lower Mahayahay village in Maluso town; Berto Lacastesantos, 48, Hernando Sally, 53, Renato Casiple Jr., 36 and Rene Sanson, 28, all residents of Campo Barn in Switch Yakal, Lantawan; and Mamerto Falcasantos, 55, of Santo Niño in Matarling village in Lantawan town.
All seven were said to be loggers who were kidnapped in separate occasions on July 20.
Sindac said the bodies of the victims were turned over to their respective families while their case was still being investigated.
In February this year and in November last year, the Abu Sayyaf beheaded German national Jurgen Kantner and Canadians Robert Hall and John Ridsdel after their families failed to pay ransom.
The bandits are still holding dozens of kidnapped Asians and Europeans while the military continues to look for them.