JOLO, Sulu (November 9, 2009) - Suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) beheaded Monday an elementary school principal whom they abducted on October 18 after his family failed to pay their ransom demand of P500,000 for his safe release.

Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin said the suspects place inside a school bag the head of Gabriel Canizares, 39, principal of Kanague Elementary School and dumped it at a terminal of Patikul jitneys.

Passersby found a bag shortly before 6am, near a Caltex gasoline station here, a few meters to the town hall of Jolo and the Catholic church. They found the head of Canizares inside the bag.

Amin said the head of Canizares was place inside his own school bag and dumped near a garbage site at the terminal of Patikul.

“The people of Jolo, condemn to highest degree the barbaric act shown by the ASG. They should be castigated for their inhuman act,” the Mayor told Manila Bulletin.

“Anyway, Jolo is also offering to the relatives of Canizares any which they think would be of great help to them at this time. Our condolence to the family,” Mayor Amin said.

Amin also ordered the Jolo police to extend all possible assistance to the Patikul police in the conduct of investigation on the find.

Adding that the local government personnel of Jolo has also offered a prayer to Canizares after the regular flag ceremony yesterday, Monday.

Canizares was kidnapped by 12 heavily armed Abu Sayyaf bandits, at around 4:20 p.m. last October 18, in Barangay Tanum, Patikul town.

Patikul is a known lair of one-armed bandit leader Radulan Sahiron, the remaining oldest leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group operating in Sulu.

Canizares was aboard a passenger jeep from Patikul together with other teachers on the way to Jolo, the province capital town, when seized by the ASG.

As this develop, Sulu vice governor Nur Anna Sahidulla called on her political detractors to be united at this time and help solve the peace and order crisis in Sulu.

Sahidulla said “ I also condemn those responsible in the barbaric act of beheading a public servant, an innocent civilian. They should not do that to an innocent civilian like Canizares.”