Freed trader says captors treat him well

From the Philippine Star (Feb 23): Freed trader says captors treat him well              

Authorities said the businessman held for 43 days by suspected Abu Sayyaf might have developed the Stockholm syndrome after the freed victim claimed his captors expressed pity and released him for nothing.

“Naawa sila sa akin dahil nalaman daw nila na mahirap lang kami,” said Edgar Favella, an eatery operator, as he was presented to the newsmen Saturday at the city hall by Mayor Celso Lobregat, chief of the local crisis management committee (CMC).

Instead, Favella said he was tasked by the kidnappers as their chef as they learned he was a cook back to their eatery in Barangay Maasin this city.

He said he was not harmed or threatened by his captors during his captivity.

Favella said he has no idea of the place where he was brought by the kidnappers only after he was already freed in the downtown of Jolo, capital town of Sulu Saturday morning.

Lobregat said the victim was “obviously” still in fear as he was just freed by his captors.

But Mayor Lobregat disclosed that the wife, who was tasked by the kidnappers to coordinate with him, had negotiated directly with her husband’s captors.

Lobregat said the kidnappers initially demanded P20-million ransom but reduced it to P5-million before lowered it to even smaller amount which he is no longer privy.

“There had been negotiation between the kidnappers and the wife going for quite sometime,” Lobregat said.

The military and police forces have prepared operations in an effort to neutralize the group of kidnapping syndicates operating with the Abu Sayyaf group, according to official.

Brig. Gen. Eugenio Clemen, deputy chief of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said they have already initiated military operation action and was on the process of identifying each of the kidnappers.

Clemen said the general target areas where the kidnappers are taking refuge have been identified and operation commands were validating it.

http://www.philstar.com/breaking-news/2013/02/23/912267/freed-trader-says-captors-treat-him-well