6 sawmill workers abducted in Lanao Sur

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Six workers of a sawmill were seized Monday by a group of gunmen in Butig, Lanao del Sur, a military official disclosed Tuesday.Maj. Filemon Tan, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, disclosed the incident occurred around 11:00 a.m. Monday in Barangay Sandab Madaya, Butig, Lanao del Sur.Tan said the identities of the victims were not immediately available except for the fact that they are workers of a sawmill in the village of Sandab Madaya. These individuals (victims) were believed to be workers at the sawmill of the said barangay (Sandab Madaya),” Tan saidHe said the victims were seized by a locally-based terrorist group headed by the so-called Maute brothers, who is reported to have ties with the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). It is clear that this is a criminal act perpetrated by this criminal group (of Maute brothers),” he said. We are also working closely with the police in investigating the incident,” Tan added. (PNA)BNB/TPGJR