2 Pinoy hostages freed by Sayyaf narrate ordeal

MANILA, Philippines - Eight months in captivity had been harsh to the two Filipinos who accompanied Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani to Sulu in June 2012.

“From now on, my birthday is Feb. 2, no longer April 16,” cameraman Ramel Vela said in Filipino, referring to the day they were finally freed by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), as he was reunited with his family in Manila yesterday.

Vela, who was in a wheelchair due to a swollen left foot, said the ASG treated him and soundman Roland Letrero like their own, despite the harsh conditions.

“We were treated like we were their children. They did not hurt us, we were not deprived of food. We ate what they ate, we can pick any fruit we wanted for as long as we ask their permission,” he said during yesterday’s press conference at Camp Crame.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas considered the release of the cameramen as “heaven sent.”

Vela and Letrero arrived yesterday morning in Manila on board a Cebu Pacific flight from Zamboanga City, two days after their captors released them Saturday.

Vela said they were made to wear camouflage and bonnets by their captors to conceal their identities when they were being transferred from one place to another, or when there was an armed encounter with another group.

The two commercial cameramen were hired by Atyani to accompany him to Sulu last June 13, 2012 to interview ASG leaders.

Vela said that after the bandits prevented them from leaving, Atyani was mad at their captors.

“If he could kill fellow Muslims, Baker was willing to put up a fight with the ASG. He was angry that the ASG had taken us hostage. They separated us. Until now, we haven’t seen him,” he said.

Vela said they were “not actually taken… but then we were not allowed to leave,” adding that about 400 ASG men held them for seven months and 20 days.

“We went to different places. Then the other day, we were freed. We don’t know about any money or negotiation... we don’t know anything... we were surprised when we reached town,” he said.

Roxas said the two would undergo debriefing to enable law enforcers to come up with a clearer picture of what happened before, during, and after their abduction as details surrounding the release remain sketchy.

“We still don’t know if there was ransom paid. We do not know the reason why they were freed... it’s important to conduct a thorough debriefing so we could get operational details on what happened,” he said.

Aside from the information that could be obtained from Vela and Letrero, Roxas said the Philippine National Police’s intelligence-gathering efforts would also help authorities to locate Atyani.

Although Atyani could not be located, Anti-Kidnapping Group chief Senior Superintendent Renato Gumban said the Jordanian is still alive and his abductors have not changed their original ransom demand of $3 million for his release.

Atyani is periodically in contact through cellular phone with his family in Dubai, Gumban added.

PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima said police operatives are now gathering information and evidence to support the filing of charges against the kidnappers.

Atyani, of the Arabic satellite channel Middle East Broadcasting Corp., was known for having interviewed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his aides in Afghanistan about three months before the 9/11 attack.