World news: Gunmen kidnapped foreigners in the Philippines
Two Canadians, a Norwegian, and one Filipina were kidnapped by gunmen from a resort in the southern Philippine islands, state media reported.
According to reports, the kidnapping took place Monday evening at the Oceanview Resort on Samal Island, an area lying off the coast of Mindanao.
The southern areas of the Philippines are not new to such abductions, especially with the plague caused by the involvement of Islamist militants who have been known for taking foreign hostages with them.
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Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, a senior Philippine military official in the Mindanao region said the kidnappers' identities are yet unknown. So far, no indications that the Abu Sayyaf, one of the most violent terrorist groups in the country, is involved in the abductions.
Last year in October, the Abu Sayyaf threatened to behead two Germans. After some negotiations and a report that ransom has been paid, the hostages were freed.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government said in a statement that it is fully aware of the reports that two of its people have been taken and is "pursuing all appropriate channels to seek further information."
According to CNN, Baladad said the Philippine National Police has been leading the search for the abductors since the incident and the military, on the other hand, has deployed helicopters and naval vessels to help in the pursuit. However, the hunt has become difficult as there has been no demands for ransom just yet.
The Philippines News Agency reported that the three foreigners abducted are male, the Norwegian being the resort's manager.
The Wall Street Journal says there have been 48 kidnappings in the Philippines last year, as reported by the U.S. State Department. Most of the cases involved rich Filipinos abducted by a group of organized criminal gangs looking for cash ransom payments. However, the report noted that some rebel groups have also targeted foreigners in some occasions.
