A source has told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the family and friends of Canadian John Ridsdel, 68, had managed to raise PHP20 million to offer as ransom to the Abu Sayyaf Group.
Ridsdel, along with fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Filipina Marithes Flor, were kidnapped from the Holiday Oceanview Samal Resort on Samal Island last Sep 21, 2015 by the Abu Sayyaf Group.
The extremist group had initially demanded PHP1 billion for each of them as ransom. The amount was brought down to PHP300 million (or around US$6.4 million).
On Mon, Apr 25, the day of the deadline set by the Abu Sayyaf, the Inquirer source said that PHP20 million was offered to the group. It was turned down, as the terrorists insisted on PHP300 million.
Later that day, two men on a motorcycle dropped off a plastic bag containing Ridsel’s severed head near the police station inside the municipal hall premises in Jolo, Sulu province.
“Retired Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Cayton, a friend of Ridsdel, said that he had waited for developments on the negotiations and later decided to take a boat to Jolo. He heard the news of the beheading en route to Sulu’s capital,” reports Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Cayton, chief security consultant for TVI Mining (Ridsdel’s former employer), revealed, “I saw the pictures, his eyes were wide open, it’s an indication that he was executed while conscious, alive, and I cannot imagine the horror and pain for the family.”
