Two Americans and Filipino kidnapped in Philippines

[News_Editor]

Two Americans and Filipino kidnapped in Philippines

2011-07-13 21:22:27 GMT+7 (ICT)

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (BNO NEWS) -- A naturalized American woman, her son, and her nephew, a Filipino national, were abducted by suspected Muslim militants in the Philippines, but security forces have not been able to contact the kidnappers, officials said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, a group of unidentified gunmen kidnapped Gerfa Lunsmann, 41, originally from the small Filipino island of Pangapuyan, her 14-year-old son Kevin, and her teenage Filipino nephew at a resort near Zamboanga City, located in the Philippines' southern island of Mindanao, the Inquirer reported.

Lunsmann was adopted by an American couple when she was 9 years old and grew up in the U.S. Her husband Hiko, who remains in Campbell County, Virginia said family and friends were monitoring the situation and speaking with Lunsmann's family in the Philippines.

Chief Inspector Nonito Asdai said the abduction took place while Lunsmann was vacationing with her son and relatives.

According to reports, the abductors took the victims to the nearby island of Basilan, which is known as a stronghold of al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf extremists. During the past 20 years, the group has been blamed for ransom kidnappings and deadly bombings. However, Zamboanga Mayor Celso Lobregat said security officials were still verifying the information.

Meanwhile, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Von Al Haq, stated that the group was not involved in the incident, as authorities continue looking for the kidnappers.

Victoria Long, U.S. Embassy spokeswoman, said the governments of the U.S. and Philippines had remained in contact in order to secure the abducted individuals. The U.S. condemned the kidnapping and called for their immediate release. Long also called for the prosecution of those responsible.

In 2002, American missionary Gracia Burnham and her husband Martin were taken hostage in Mindanao. A U.S.-backed Filipino military operation was carried out against an Abu Sayyaf jungle camp to rescue the couple. Previously, militants had beheaded a third abducted American, Guillermo Sobero, and during the rescue mission, Martin was killed.

Since the incident, U.S. troops have constantly held training operation with Filipino troops in the country's southern region.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-13

[KunMatt]

"Three Filipinas (two holding American passports) kidnapped in Philippines"

(most likely because they are holding American passports...)

Fixed

Edited July 13, 2011 by KunMatt

[soihok]

And making it known.

If they were not known to have a price to be taken for, they would not have been taken.

Not enough details on what and how in the report to take any perspective on.

Sorry for their plight though, I really hope they survive.