KOTA KINABALU: A Malaysian kidnap victim was reported to have been shot during a firefight between the Philippine security forces and Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu province yesterday.
According to Mindanao-based news portal, Minda News, Jari Abdullah, 43, was in a critical condition when the Philippine Marine Battalion Landing Team 3 found him at 4.25pm, after the militants withdrew.
The news service arm of the Mindanao Institute of Journalism today reported Jari was shot while trying to escape from his Abu Sayyaf captors, who were engaged in a 15-minute exchange of fire with the Marines.
The Abu Sayyaf militants were led by a person known as Najir Arik and the shootout occurred in Simusa Island, Barangay Bahkaan, Banguingui, Sulu.
Western Mindanao Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Gerry Besana was quoted saying Abu Sayyaf shot Jari when the victim tried to escape from his captors during the firefight.
Bersana said a Philippine Huey helicopter airlifted Abdullah to Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Hospital in the capital town of Jolo for medical treatment, adding that Jari was “in a very critical medical condition.”
Meanwhile, Jari’s wife Nadin Junianti Najiri, 25, said she only knew about her husband’s situation when contacted by New Straits Times Press, while stressing she was praying that Jari remains safe.
“I hope he will recuperate and return home soon. For the past few days, our one-year-old son has been calling out for his father as if he knew something was about to happen to my husband. He has never called out (for Jari) before this,” she said.
Eastern Sabah Security Command Commander Datuk Hazani Ghazali said the authority has yet to receive any information on the matter but would check with their counterparts for update with regards to the Malaysian kidnap victim.
On Dec 6 last year, Jari, along with two Indonesian fishermen, was reported missing, believed kidnapped from their boat while fishing at Pegasus Reef Kinabatangan here. The Indonesians were identified as Heri Ardiansyah, 19, and Hariadin, 45.
A day earlier, four armed men stormed a vessel carrying 13 crew members - two Malaysians and 11 Indonesians - at the same location at Pegasus Reef.
In the incident, the armed men opened fire, which hit the skipper. However, all crew members were reported safe.