Korean trader freed for 50 sacks of rice

Muslim gunmen in Mindanao freed early yesterday a South Korean treasure hunter in exchange for 50 sacks of rice after holding him hostage for about 22 weeks.

Yoon Jae-keon, 43, was released to government representatives with the help of emissaries from the separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

He was later presented to President Arroyo who was coincidentally visiting Cotabato City yesterday.

"I want to go to Korea. The negotiators are very bad because they delayed my release (by) asking different amounts of ransom," a haggard-looking Yoon, who had grown a beard, told reporters.

After his meeting with reporters, Yoon took a bath and had breakfast of rice and kalderetang kambing (goat stew).

From Palimbang, Yoon was taken General Santos City where a military helicopter was waiting to fly him to Cotabato City for the meeting with the President.

Local officials said the kidnappers had demanded between P5 million and P15 million.

They said the MILF emissaries persuaded the abductors, who were former members of the secessionist rebel group, to free the Korean.

The officials said 50 sacks of rice were delivered to the kidnappers’ mountain hideout in Palimbang town, Sultan Kudarat province, adding that no money changed hands.

"It was through negotiations that we secured the release," said Palimbang Mayor Labualas Mamansual.

Yoon was turned over by his kidnappers and MILF representatives to a team of local officials, military and police authorities at the foot of a mountain in the village of Molon in Palimbang.

The group included incoming Philippine National Police chief Deputy Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Jesus Dureza.

The government signed last April a pact with the MILF embodying cooperation to isolate and contain armed groups engaged in criminal activities, notably kidnapping for ransom.

‘Bad vacation’

Yoon described his ordeal in the hands of his captors as a "bad vacation in the mountains."

Clad in checkered long-sleeve shirt, brown trousers and brown shoes, Yoon said he was not harmed, but had to endure long treks in the jungle with his captors to elude pursuing soldiers.

"I had military training in the jungle," he said.

He recalled that they had to be constantly on the move to evade pursuing government forces, and often had to subsist on salt and bananas.

He denied paying ransom for his freedom: "I did not pay any single amount."

Yoon said he wanted an immediate visit to his hometown in South Korea, but would return to the Philippines to continue doing business here.

He refused to identify the unauthorized negotiators, but added he will do so within three days.

He said the unauthorized negotiators belonged to a "big syndicate" called Abu Sofia which was linked to the Pentagon kidnap gang.

"The Abu Sofia asked only P1 million from me, but these negotiators demanded P15 million," Yoon said.

He said the negotiators demanded for amounts bigger than what his kidnappers were asking.

He identified the leader of his abductors as Salamon Bakadingding alias Commander Tropical, a former MILF guerrilla.

Initial reports had it that the Korean was snatched, along with Filipino hotel owner Carlos Belonio, by 10 gunmen on Feb. 6, reportedly while on a treasure hunt in Sultan Kudarat.

Belonio was freed six weeks after the abduction.

Police clarified that Yoon and Belonio were snatched while on a trip to Sultan Kudarat to buy precious metals from local traders, who turned out to be former MILF guerrillas.

Authorities also tagged Commander Tigre Jikiri of the MILF’s 204th Brigade based in Palimbang, as the mastermind of the duo’s abduction, who later handed the victims to the Abu Sofia.

Ebdane said talks were being spearheaded by the crisis committee led by Mamansual for the possible surrender of the kidnappers.

Mamansual indicated that the government was mulling the grant of amnesty to the kidnappers, but added they had to face first the criminal charges filed by Belonio.

Muslim pirates were also holding in Jolo, Sulu three Indonesian sailors seized on June 17 from a tugboat off Basilan island.

Indonesian consul-general to Manila Bambang Pangestoe flew to Jolo yesterday to monitor the military’s rescue operations for the three hostages (see related story).

During his meeting with Sulu Gov. Yusop Jikiri, Pangestoe ruled out any ransom payments for his three countrymen.

He said he came to Jolo not to give advice or conditions, but to merely get fresh information on the situation of the hostages.

Military sources said the abductors were asking for at least P150,000 for the release of the three captives.

Jikiri said the Indonesians were still being held in Luuk town in Jolo island.

Rescue operations by Philippine government forces for the three Indonesians were viewed by Jakarta as a test for a trilateral anti-terrorism treaty.

Acting Press Secretary Silvestre Afable said Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda has met with former congressman Eduardo Ermita, Mrs. Arroyo’s senior adviser on the peace process, and asked to be updated on the rescue operations.

The meeting between Ermita and Wirayuda took place during the annual convention of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Sudan.

The three-nation agreement to fight terrorism was signed last May by the governments of the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia for joint efforts to curb cross-border terrorism and other crimes.

Wirayuda told Ermita that his government has no objections over the conduct of a joint police-military operation to recover the three Indonesians held by local pirates in Luuk town in Jolo island, which is part of Sulu province.

Armed men believed to be Muslim pirates boarded a tugboat hauling a coal-laden barge near the island-province of Basilan and seized four Indonesian seamen last month.

One of the victims, second officer Ferdinan Joel, escaped two days later, leaving their skipper Muntu Jacobus Winowatan, chief office Julkipli and chief engineer Pieter Lerrech still in custody of the kidnappers. — With wire reports