Evangeline Taverisma spent her time caring for her husband, a retired soldier in the AFP, or Armed Forces of the Philippines and doing what she did best, helping expectant mothers to be at the Rural Health Station in Barangay Tagbak. The clinic, in the municipality of Indanan on the island of Jolo catered to Barabgay Tagbbak's Muslim Community. Despite having served that community for nearly 35 years Mrs. Taverisma was targetted by ASG, or the Abu Sayyaf Group.
On Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 Mrs. Taverisma finished her duties early and left the clinic just before 3PM, hurrying home to cook supper for her husband whose identity I will withold given his status as a retired soldier living in a somewhat dangerous area. As the 55 year old woman began walking to the barangay's main road in order to catch a jeepney ride home a red Toyota Tamaraw cut in front of her and slammed on its brakes.
Four ASG guerillas jumped out waving 45 caliber pistols and forced the shocked woman into the truck before getting back in themselves and speeding off towards the municipality of Patikul. Authorities, with typical ridiculousness have linked the attack to the Jose Batronel Kidnapping which had ended just fifteen days prior (covered in my entry, "Kidnap for Ransom for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part IV"). In that case, on July 13th, 2011 a Batangas-based trader, his live in lover and their maid had been kidnapped from a rooming house in Jolo City's Barangay Bus Bus. The maid, Julie Latorre had managed to escape when one of the attackers mis-fired his 45 caliber pistol. Jumping out of the red Toyota Tamaraw jeepney as it sped towards a main road she ran for her life and was able escaped none the worse for the experience. Knowing noone in the Southern Philippines and having no way in which to contact those people she did know back on Luzon Ms.Latorre made a regrettable but thoroughly understandable decision to report the incident to the Jolo City CPO, or City Police Office.
Shortly thereafter Mr.Batronel was able to convince the guerillas holding him, under sub-Kumander Naser Timbang, that only he could access the funds needed to ransom him and his live in lover. Released to do just that he then paid the ransom as agreed and his lover re-gained her freedom the very next day, July 18th
Authorities reckon that because a red Toyota Tamaraw was utilised in the latest case and that the kidnapping was undertaken by ASG gunmen carrying 45 caliber pistols must mean that Naser Timbang is behind the kidnapping of Mrs.Taverisma as well. The only problem with that though is that Mr. Batronel's assailants were aboard a jeepney. The Tamaraw that kidnapped Engeline Taverisma was not a jeepney. 45 caliber pistols are the most common pistol in a nation where weapons are VERY common - and as far as the Southern Philippines go- are part of the landscape. ASG involvement on one level or another is a given since they have cornered the KFR industry in Sulu Province, to which Jolo Island belongs as well as a major share in that of Basilan Island.
Employed through the ARMM, or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao's Department of Health and its Rural Health Force Program, Mrs. Taverisma had been nearing retirement but planned to stay on in a volunteer capacity. ARMM's Secretary of Health, Dr.Kadil "Jojo" Sinolilinding Jr. quickly organised a demonstration at the ARMM Capital, in Cotabato City in Mainland Mindanao's North Cotabato Province. On August 6th nearly 300 ARMM healthcare workers demonstrated on Governor Gutierrez Street against the targetting of healthcare workers.
Later that same day ASG made its first ransom demand, an outrageous P15 Million ($350,000) indicating that Abu Sayyaf is expecting the ARMM to pony up most or all of the ransom. Though the Government pays lip service to a "No Ransom" policy it does, from time to time, cough up a share depending upon certain circumstances. Time will tell if this is one such circumstance.
On Sunday, August 21st, 2011 60 year old Ambon Ahamad Blas was driving his motorcycle home after a long day selling used clothes, or "ukay-ukay" adjacent to P-mart Department Store in the municipality of Patikul's Barangay Darang. Seated in back of him was his co-worker Perlita Bagay, age 25. She too was tired after a difficult day at their stall in Sitio Patong Patong. As the motocycle passed Latih Elementary School in Patikul's Barangay Latih, just inside Sitio Ba'unoh a band of young men blocked their path and forced them to stop.
A recently formed street gang calling itself the "Virgin Boys" had just taken its first bold step into the KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom Industry. The Virgin Boys, co-led by two young men known only as Roger and Gapas had undertaken the act in hopes of ingratiating themselves with ASG sub-Kumander Basarun Arok. Arok is an experienced hand, currently under warrant along with underlings Edimar Isnain and Abdulaptip Jalmani for the October of 2009 KFR of Roger Canizares.
Mr.Canizares was the principal of Tanum Elementary School in Patikul's Barangay Tanum. When the ransom wasn't forthcoming sub-Kumander Basarun Arok had Mr.Canizares decapitated. Let us hope that Mr.Blas and Ms.Bagay fare a whole lot better.
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