Flying in Sulu Mindanao

They say a highly controversial kidnapping happened in Mindanao. Being idle for a long time with my unearthly, otherworldly investigations, I decided to take a midnight flight bringing some pocket money with me to Jolo, Sulu. Of course, I passed by Zamboanga and a lot of other places. I stayed in the mountains at the outskirts of Jolo proper.

After staying in the place for weeks on end, I now agree completely with Blogger allevii who reports that the ICRC kidnapping is not an authentic kidnap incident. But it could evolve into something very ugly. Blogger girbaudz says that it is possible that the hostages will be killed. Girbaudz and allevii also blogged their surprise that the truth about the kidnapping is being effectively suppressed!

I actually saw that the ICRC workers will die. A large number of people will die that will join in, or will be caught in the middle of, the combat when the opposing forces will meet.

The Red Cross workers paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Governor, who is the Red Cross head in the province. Then they visited the jail where supposedly they had a project at. Suddenly, in front of the gate outside the jail after visiting, the Red Cross workers were kidnapped. A supposed former government worker at that jail kidnapped them. He is identified as Raden Abu. His uncle, supposedly is an Abu Sayyaf leader called Dr. Abu.

Raden Abu was accompanied by four other people. Two are closely related to him but the other two are identified as soldiers based in Jolo.

The question is why did the ICRC workers objected to the offer of security escorts by government? Why did they instead chose to place their lives and safety at considerable risk by rejecting the offer of security assistance from the Philippine Government. Just look at the big costs and expenses the government is incurring in trying to resolve the problem! The waste of money is tremendous! Look at the people of Sulu, they are so poor and live a decrepit existence.

Small make shift market alongside a perennially flooded street

People ride in small cabs, motorcycle driven or

foot pedal-driven. The passengers face each other

inside the crowded cab.

Passengers on public utility vehicles often ride on the roof

Garbade cans on a flooded street

Common sight in Jolo: children begging for small money to buy food

To compound the poverty, there is constant conflict raging between Abu Sayyaf, breakaway-renegade MNLF groups and government forces.

Bandit elements and feuding families also contribute greatly to the hostilities in Sulu. On the second week of February, after the local government of Sulu, the national government and the civilian population agreed to cooperate in catching the kidnappers, suddenly a series of mortar attacks was made against Jolo proper. The mortar shells pierced houses in Busbos, Jolo and the Notre Dame school in Jolo. The areas hit were adjacent to or near the marines main headquarters in Jolo. Scores of people were seriously injured, including among them, children. I had to fly away immediately. The strong delicious scent of blood was making me want to eat the victims...

As much as I wanted to very much, I canot bear the thought of wanting to eat this poor little child for dinner.

I saw this lady while she was going to the hospital very much later after the soldiers and policemen crowding the hospital had left.

From afar, the lady has good complexion. I thought she might be good to eat. On closer look, I would not touch her with a ten foot pole. My gosh! Her skin is old and very much recycled, stretched, patched and stitched in many parts. I decided to fly away knowing I could not eat her.

Look at her website logo. It says "Hatred can be overcome only by love." Hmmm... It's very intriguing, since from my overhearing a lot of conversations in that place where I flew freely and extensively, many people were saying that this woman and a rumored lover soldier, kidnapped the ICRC workers.

She held the hostages in her own soy sauce factory cum farm property in Indanan, a short flight for me from Jolo, Sulu. The Mayor in that place is also a relative of the so-called Abu Sayyaf kidnappers.

I saw the woman take a quick flight to Manila and followed her. I was back to civilization at last. She kept talking to a number of people. From their conversation, I heard the word "ransom" several times!

Huh! It's all a real bull shit scenario if you ask me!