Abu Sayyaf frees two Indonesians, 18 captives remain
The Abu Sayyaf Group released two Indonesians they kidnapped almost six months ago in Sulu on Monday, a military spokesman said.
Major Filemon Tan, Western Mindanao Command spokesman, identified the Indonesians sailors as Mohammad Nazir, 62, and Robin Piter, 32.
Captain Jason Roy Mararac, Joint Task Force Sulu civil military officer, said victims were “released thru Indanan based MNLF and then brought to the house of former Sulu Vice-Governor Abdusakur Tan in Jolo at around 11:30 am yesterday.
“They were then turned-over to Joint Task Force Sulu (in Camp Bautista, Bus-Bus Jolo, Sulu) for custody, medical check-up and processing at 1:32 this afternoon,” he said.
Tan said the “transport of kidnap victims from Sulu to Zamboanga City and their subsequent turn over to Indonesian authorities are now being arranged and facilitated by the JTF Sulu.”
He said they are the last victims from seven crewmen of T/B Charles 00 that were abducted last June 22, 2016 at the seawater near Simisa Island in Sulu.
“Our combat operations pressured the Abu Sayyaf Group to immediately negotiate. The military are on a sustained manhunt operations against the ASG. They have already felt the pressure of these relentless operations,” Mararac said.
The Abu Sayyaf are still holding 18 captives. They are six Vietnamese, five Malaysians, four Filipinos, a German, a Dutchman and a Korean. Robina Asido./DMS
