The Vietnamese embassy in Manila condemned on Thursday the reported beheading of two Abu Sayyaf group hostages as it called on Philippine authorities to “properly punish” those behind the killing. “Vietnam strongly condemns all acts of kidnapping, and barbaric and inhumane killings. We hold that these acts must be properly punished,” the embassy said in a statement. The military identified the decapitated bodies as Hoang Thong and Hoang Va Hai of the Vietnamese cargo vessel MV Royal16. The two victims were taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf Group southeast of Sibago Island in Basilan in November 2016.

Source: Manila Times July 06, 2017 12:22 UTC