| Rebel leader kidnaps
a third bride The Abu Sayyaf military chief snatches the social worker, who is another
rebel's niece, from her home so that he can marry her at his camp
JOLO -- Commander Robot, the
military chief of the Abu Sayyaf rebel group, snatched a social worker from her home in
Talipao, Sulu, on Tuesday morning so he could marry her at his rebel camp that evening.
Ms Nelma Bassal Agsa, who is in
her early 20s, is the third wife of Galib Andang, 38.
Police said the bride's family
did not approve of his advances on the woman.
So, the persistent Abu Sayyaf
leader had to do it the best and only way he knew -- kidnap and force the woman to marry
him.
But Andang will now have to
worry about Ms Agsa's uncle, Mujib Susukan, who also happens to be an Abu Sayyaf leader.
""Kidnap for love,''
as police call it, has been his way of winning his ladies' hearts.
His two other wives went
through the same ordeal.
""Guyud'' or marriage
by abduction, is common in Tausug culture. This has been a very popular way some hearts
here are joined, especially if the bridegroom cannot pay for the dowry.
A shotgun marriage, if you
will.
The problem of dowry, however,
was probably the last thing in Andang's mind.
He reportedly shelled out
350,000 pesos (S$13,370) to wed Ms Agsa, who works as a government midwife in Talipao.
The amount, some say, is a bit
high for a social worker.
But for Andang, it is small
change now that the Abu Sayyaf strike force chief has, according to the military, amassed
for himself and his fellow bandits some 245 million pesos in ransom, ""board and
lodging'' fees, ""entrance and exit'' fees and livelihood assistance.
Two of his wives are
professionals, one is from the prominent Rasul family, and all are taller than he is -- at
just over 1.2 metres. --The Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
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