{UAH} Attention Edward Irundrua: Body of Abu Sayyaf's German hostage needed to confirm death

Bato: Body of Abu Sayyaf's German hostage needed to confirm death

By AJ Bolando (philstar.com) | Updated February 27, 2017 - 1:29pm

German hostage Juergen Gustav Kantner holds a flag declaring 'This is my last hour' in a photo tweeted on Dec. 29, 2016 by user @TerrorEvents.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police could not confirm the reported beheading of a German hostage of the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu since the body has yet to be found.

PNP Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said they have to locate the body of 70-year-old Juergen Gustav Kantner to verify his death.

"Okay, sige, it's not confirmed. I can take back my statement," dela Rosa said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday. "Sinasabi ko nga kanina walang body of the crime, pero 'yung report na nakarating samin na-execute na."

READ: Sayyaf beheads German

Close Ad X

Reports reaching military and police said Kantner was beheaded at around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday after the deadline to pay a P30-million ransom expired.

Kantner, abducted in Tawi-Tawi last November, is believed to have been killed since the government has a strict no ransom policy.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Dela Rosa said he is getting information from intelligence operatives and sources in the area.

"Ang sa akin naman, galing sa mga tao doon so I can take back kung hindi totoo, and I can put back again 'pag na-confirm na talaga," the PNP chief said.

"Kailangan may body of the crime, pero as far as information being gathered by our personnel on the ground, 'yun ang nakukuha nila info, so this remains to be validated," he added.

Click here to join the discussion