AFP, PNP in Southern Mindanao placed on red alert

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) troopers. (Photo from AFP’s Facebook page)

MANILA – Following the abduction of Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Teresita Flor, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Southern Mindanao have been placed on red alert.

The three foreign nationals and Filipina were seized by still unidentified armed men on Monday night at the Holiday Oceanview Beach Resort in the Island City Garden of Samal in Davao del Norte.

While rescue operations remained ongoing, the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Air Force’s Southern Mindanao Task Operation Group and the Police Regional Office Xl have been deployed in Davao and Compostela Valley.

The Mindanao Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), for its part, has been coordinating with AFP-PNP special investigation task group “Oceanview” in determining what group was behind the kidnapping. They have been eyeing the Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).