Philippine president orders manhunt of kidnappers of Canizares

Palace officials said Monday that the President has ordered military and police officials to form a task force that will investigate the matter and to ensure that the death of Gabriel Canizares "will not be in vain."

    Arroyo vowed to make the Abu Sayyaf group to pay for their "savagery."

    Armed Forces of the Philippines's Chief of Staff General VictorS. Ibrado said in a statement that a full scale military and police manhunt has been launched "to go after the criminals responsible for this barbaric act."

    Canizares, 36, principal of Kanague Elementary School, was abducted last month in the town of Patikul. Canizares was snatched while board a passenger jeepney going to the provincial capital of Jolo.

    The kidnappers demanded for a 2 million pesos (42,000 U.S. dollars) ransom. But Sulu Governor Sakur Tan refused to pay the ransom and urged the kidnappers to release the victims.

    Monday morning, local police officials recovered the decapitated head of Canizares inside a plastic bag. The bag was found in front of a gasoline station in Jolo.

    Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez said in Monday's news briefing that the President has extended her deepest condolences to the family of Canizares, Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.chinaview.cn for full version.