ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines - Abu Sayyaf gunmen released early Tuesday a Filipino-Chinese businessman in Jolo, Sulu province.
Col. Jose Joriel Cenabre, commander of the2nd Marine Brigade and Joint Task Force Sulu said Carlos Tee Tiam, 62, owner of Caltex gas station, was released by his captors at around 3 a.m. just a few meters from his residence in downtown Jolo.
“The wife said she heard someone knocking on their door at early dawn. She was surprised to find out Mr. Carlos Tee was there standing alone,†Cenabre said.
The victim’s family told authorities that they were surprised with the release. They said that they had not not negotiated or paid any ransom to the kidnappers.
Gunmen forcibly took Tiam last April 7 about 7:30 p.m. from his residence along Hadji Butu Extension Street and hauled him to a waiting jeepney.
The Abu Sayyaf is still holding at least five people captive, including four foreigners and Criselda Marcos-Villaraza, wife of a non-commissioned Marine officer assigned in Sulu.
The bandits abducted Villaraza last May 18.
The four foreign captives include Jordanian broadcast journalist Baker Atyani, Europeans Elwold Horn and Lorenzo Vinceguerre, and Japanese Toshio Ito.
Atyani, bureau chief of the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel, was abducted a year ago with his two Filipino crewmen while supposedly doing a special report on the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu.
Atyani’s crews – Romelito Vela and Roland Letrico – were freed last February allegedly after the payment of ransom.
Still in captivity also were Horn, a Dutchman, and Vinceguerre of Swiss, who are both wild bird watchers. They were taken from Panglima Sugala town in Tawi-Tawi province on February 2012.
Meanwhile, the authorities remained puzzled on the case of Ito, 63, a native of Hiroshima ,who has been residing in Pangutaran town, Sulu. He was taken captive on July 2010.
There are reports that the Abu Sayyaf group has made the Japanese captive as their cook. But this could be confirmed by the authorities.