3 Zamboanga teachers freed

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Three kidnapped public school teachers were freed unharmed in Basilan yesterday after four months in captivity, police said.

Quizon Freires, 28, Janette de los Reyes, 29, and Rafael Mayonado, 24, were turned over to former Tuburan mayor Hajarun Jamiri in Barangay Candiis, Mohammad Ajul town, said Senior Superintendent Salik Macapantar, provincial police director.

Jamiri was among those tagged in the 2007 bombing at the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City that killed Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar and four others.

Basilan Vice Gov. Al-Rasheed Sakalahul said the kidnappers decided to free the three teachers following the negotiations on Monday.

The teachers were abducted last Jan. 23 by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits off Sacol Island in this city and brought to Basilan.

It was not known if ransom was paid for the three teachers of the Arena Blanco National High School and Landang Gua Elementary School. The kidnappers had threatened to behead them this Friday if P3 million was not paid.

Malacañang welcomed the news. “Our government and the military had worked long and hard for their release,” deputy presidential spokesman Lorelei Fajardo said.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said the three teachers “are now undergoing medical check-up and debriefing.”

With this development, Lapus said their efforts would now focus on three other teachers from Zamboanga Sibugay “who are still in the hands of misguided elements.”

The teachers – Noemi Mandi, 38; Jocelyn Inion, 39; and Jocelyn Enriquez, 43 – were abducted at sea last March 13 while they were on their way home from the Bangkaw-Bangkaw Elementary School.

Their kidnappers have demanded P10-million ransom. – Roel Pareño, Rainier Allan Ronda, Paolo Romero