Malaysian hostage escapes from Sayyaf

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – A Malaysian-Chinese businessman escaped yesterday morning from Abu Sayyaf militants who had held him for nine months in Sulu and told police that his cousin died of an illness while in captivity, police said.

Senior Superintendent Abraham Orbita, acting Sulu police director, said Chong Wei Jie, 26, was recovered by police officers patrolling in Barangay Pasil, Indanan town at around 7 a.m yesterday.

Orbita said SPO1 Baltazar Sawabi spotted the kidnap victim walking in the village, seemingly looking for help.

He said the 33-year-old Malaysian businessman told police why he was in the area and he was subsequently brought to the provincial police headquarters.

“According to him, he took advantage while his captors were busy preparing for something,” Orbita said.

The victim informed the police that his cousin, Chong Wei Fei, 34, died while they were in captivity, but he could not say where the body was buried as they were transferred from one place to another in Sulu.

The victim and his cousin were seized by armed men from a palm oil plantation in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia where they worked as manager and assistant manager, respectively, on Nov. 13 last year and brought to Sulu.

Orbita said the victim was sporting a pair of shorts and a brown shirt when policemen found him.

“He has visible insect bites and a swollen leg,” Orbita said, adding that they brought him to the Sulu Provincial Hospital for medical checkup and that he appeared to be in good condition.

“He looked haggard maybe because they had been moved around by their captors,” he said.

Orbita said they had no idea if the Abu Sayyaf directly negotiated with the families of the victim and his cousin.

The AFP though quoted Orbita as saying that the families were unable to pay a ransom of $230,000 that was later lowered to $46,000.

Orbita said they still have to place the victim under debriefing to gather more information about the kidnapping.

Orbita said the victim was to be flown out of Sulu anytime yesterday and would be brought to the Malaysian embassy in Manila.

Meanwhile, Orbita said efforts continue for the recovery of five other hostages believed being kept separately by Abu Sayyaf militants in the mountains of Sulu. 

The captives are sisters Nadjoua and Linda Bansil, both independent filmmakers; Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani; and the two European bird watchers who were seized in Tawi-Tawi last year.         – With AFP