OTTAWA — Canada is mourning with the family of a Canadian man killed by a militant group in the Philippines, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today.
Trudeau said Philippines President Benigno Aquino has offered his condolences and regrets over the murder of Robert Hall, who had been held hostage by Abu Sayyaf since September 2015.
The prime minister praised Hall's family.
"The Hall family has shown great strength of character in their resilience and are admirable in the face of this terrible situation," he said. "This is a grievous loss for them and their country mourns with them."
The government is still seeking formal confirmation of Hall's death, Trudeau said during a brief news conference in the foyer of the House of Commons.
However, "we have every reason to believe that the reports are unfortunately true."
He said Canada holds Abu Sayyaf fully responsible for Hall's death.
"We are more committed than ever to working with the government of the Philippines and international partners to pursue those responsible for these heinous acts and bring them to justice, however long it takes."
He called terrorism "a scourge on the world."
"Too many families have endured the unspeakable grief the Hall family is feeling today because of these senseless acts of hatred."
"On behalf of them and all Canadians, we mourn their loss and reassert our resolve."
Hall, fellow Canadian John Ridsdel, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Philippines national Marites Flor were snatched from a marina by Abu Sayyaf last September.
The militants executed Ridsdel in April. The Washington-based SITE Intelligence group said the militants released a video that showed Ridsdel, 68, being beheaded.
The militants said they were angry the Canadian government failed to meet their demands for ransom.
Last month the militants threatened to kill one of the two surviving western hostages on June 13 if their demands weren't met.
Another video released by the militants last month showed the three remaining hostages pleading for help from the Canadian and Philippines government as gun-wielding hooded captors stood behind them.
Trudeau has steadfastly refused to entertain the thought of paying ransom to hostage takers. He said after learning of Ridsdel's execution that Canada would never pay a ransom for the hostages in the Philippines and last month he persuaded leaders of the other G7 countries to reiterate their opposition to paying ransoms.
Today, he repeated that paying ransoms would put more Canadians in danger.
"Canada cannot and will not pay ransoms to terrorists," he said. "We will not turn the Maple Leaf worn with pride by over three million Canadians abroad into targets."
Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose also expressed shock and outrage at the news of Hall's execution.
"The threat of radical and barbaric acts of terrorism remains very real. Canada is not immune to the danger presented by global terror networks," she said in a statement.
Please read my statement on Robert Hall: https://t.co/b1nEdyIDH9
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 13, 2016
"We must stand in solidarity not just with the victims but with our allies around the world as we work together to disrupt and destroy these terrorist organizations."
Abu Sayyaf is considered a violent militant group in the southwestern Philippines. It has been blamed for several bloody terrorist attacks in the country.
