Abu kidnap victims freed

Suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits freed three hostages, including a 14-year-old boy late Sunday night in Tipo-Tipo town in Basilan after eight days in captivity, a military spokesman said yesterday, following negotiations and alleged payment of “board and lodging.”

Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, navy spokesman said victims Ronilo Ando, 41; Vilma Sumergido, 50; and her teenaged-son who were abducted in Sumisip town on July 20 were released by their captors following negotiations.

Lamitan City Mayor Roderick Furigay said the hostages were recovered by his emissary and chief security Nick Castro in a remote village of Tipo-Tipo town following negotiations.

Arevalo said the released hostages were brought to the headquarters of the 7th Marine Battalion in Lamitan town where they rested overnight after being recovered by troops.

He said the victims were reportedly exhausted but ostensibly in good condition at the time they were freed.

The spokesman  said they would be reunited with their relatives after they have undergone medical examination and custodial debriefing at the First Marine Brigade headquarters.

The Navy official said activities of the Abu Sayyaf such as kidnapping, are quite difficult to monitor because the bandit group, has splintered into smaller groups and blended with civilians.

“We have intelligence reports to show they are now leaderless; that being the case, they are now blending with the civilians. They are on the run, they can choose the time and place that they would execute these criminal actions that is why we find it quite difficult to monitor all there activities,”  he said.