Manila (dpa) – Islamist militants in the southern Philippines beheaded a Malaysian hostage as troops shelled the captors’ jungle hideout, a military commander said Tuesday.
Bernard Ghen Ted Fen, 29, (pic)was executed on Monday in Indanan town on Jolo Island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, Brigadier General Alan Arrojado, commander of an anti-terrorism task force, said.
Negotiations for Ted Fen’s release failed, prompting the military to launch airstrikes on the area where Abu Sayyaf militants were believed to be hiding him, Arrojado said.
The hostage was beheaded directly after the bombardment started and “the Abu Sayyaf hastily dispersed during the shelling,” he added.
Troops have been dispatched to hunt down the militants and locate Ted Fen’s body, which was reportedly buried by his captors, Arrojado said.
Ted Fen was abducted alongside Malaysian restaurant owner Thien Nyuk Fun on May 14 from the town of Sandakan. Thien was freed on November 9 after a ransom of 30 million pesos (around 638,000 dollars) was paid, according to an unnamed police source.
The Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for some of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the Philippines as well as high-profile kidnappings for ransom involving foreign hostages.
The militants are also believed to be holding captive two Canadians, a Norwegian, a Dutch man and an Italian priest in the jungles of Jolo.
