Abu Sayyaf threatened to behead two coast guard officers

ABU SAYYAF GROUP (Photo courtesy of the Institute for the Study of Violent Groups)

MANILA — Two members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) are being threatened to be beheaded by members of the Abu Sayyaf group.

In a video that has gone viral the two personnel were shown blindfolded and half-naked with several masked gunmen standing behind them.

The two PCG officers and a barangay captain were kidnapped in Dapitan City in Zamboanga del Sur last month.

“I am Allan Pagaling of the Philippine Coast Guard, asking our government leaders, especially President Aquino and Sir (PCG commandant Admeral Rodolfo) Isorena to help us. Sir please help us. They will execute us,” a man identified by the PCG as Seaman First Class Rod Allain Pagaling said in the video.

Pagaling who was crying while the video was taken also has a bolo drawn across his neck.

Two other hostages identified as SM2 Gringo Villaruz and Robert Bulagao of Barangay Aliguay also appealed and plead for help in the video.

One of the gunmen also threatened to behead one or two of the hostages if the government will fail to comply with their demands.

”We will behead one if not all of the hostages if you will not comply with our demands,” one of the masked gunmen said but not specifying their demands.

The Philippine Coast Guard, meanwhile, assured the victim’s family that they are doing everything they can to negotiate with the hostage takers and rescue the hostages.

“We assure the families of the victims that we are doing our best to rescue them. The commandant has since day one given instructions to PCG Northern Mindanao district commander Commodore Ferdinand Velasco to exhaust all possible efforts to recover them,” PCG spokesman Cmdr. Armand Balilo said.