We had been doing everything we could to free John Ridsdel: Bob Rae

Former Liberal MP Bob Rae says there’s still work to do after his friend, John Ridsdel, was killed by captors in the Philippines Monday.

Ridsdel, who grew up in Yorkton and spent time working in Regina, was executed after being held for months by Abu Sayyaf gunmen. He was one of four people seized from a marina on southern Samal Island in September and taken by boat to Sulu.

“It was a huge sense of deep disappointment because we had been doing everything we could, following the situation on almost an hourly basis,” Rae told the CJME Morning Show Tuesday.

A ransom was being demanded by Abu Sayyaf for the release of the hostages, as had happened with previous deadlines. Rae said it was difficult to know how serious the threat was, and which of the hostages might be killed.

Rae said he had been working with Ridsdel’s daughters and sister as they dealt with the government in a situation that had many political complications. 

#JohnRidsdel‘s family did everything in their power to save John, and showed remarkable courage throughout this ordeal, as did John himself

— Bob Rae (@BobRae48) April 26, 2016

Now that Ridsdel has been killed, Rae said there is still more work to do, as the Abu Sayyaf and allied gunmen are believed to be holding 22 hostages from six countries.

“The fact is that there’s still three people captured in this particular camp. We know that there is as many as 20 people who are now being help hostage by Abu Sayyaf.”