Trudeau believes Canadian hostage killed in Philippines
TORONTO/MANILA - Canadian hostage Robert Hall is believed to have been killed by his captors in the Philippines, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday, in what appears to be the second execution of a Canadian hostage by the militant group Abu Sayyaf in the area in recent months.
Trudeau said Canadian officials were working with authorities in the Philippines to confirm the death of Hall, who was taken captive with three other people by the militants in September 2015 from an upscale resort on Samal island, hundreds of miles (km) east of Jolo.
Trudeau said in a statement there was "reason to believe" that Abu Sayyaf had executed Hall. Hours later, he told reporters that "Canada holds the terrorist group who took Mr. Hall hostage fully responsible for this cold-blooded and senseless murder."
