Saturday, March 23, 2013

Abu Sayyaf bandits free Australian hostage

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 23): Abu Sayyaf bandits free Australian hostage

The Abu Sayyaf bandits have released before dawn Saturday the Australian national they have kidnapped over a year ago in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay province, officials announced.

Police Regional Office (PRO-9) spokesman Chief Insp. Ariel Huesca said Warren Richard Rodwell was freed around 1:10 a.m. Saturday at the fishing port of Pagadian City, the capital of Zamboanga del Sur.

Huesca said that a civilian, who saw Rodwell walking along the port area of Pagadian City, brought the Australian national to the 903rd Maritime Police Station.

The maritime policemen headed by Supt. Eurem Jay Macasil then turned over Rodwell to Pagadian City police station commander Supt. Julius Muñez for safe keeping and documentation, Huesca said.

“At exactly 1:30 a.m., March 23 I was called by Puruji Indama (saying) that Mr. Warren Rodwell, Australian kidnap victim is being left by his abductor at Pagadian fisheries building, Pagadian City. I immediately called our provincial director Senior Supt. (Mario) Dapillosa and the brigade commander Col. (Charlie) Galvez to contact their counterpart in Pagadian City,” Basilan Vice-Gov. Alrasheed Sakkalahul said.

Sakkalahul’s assistance has been tapped three weeks ago by Rodwell’s Filipino wife, Miraflor Gutang, to help in the efforts to seek the safe release of her husband.

Indama is a Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf leader.

Both Huesca and Sakkalahul did not say whether or not ransom was paid in exchange for the release of Rodwell.

The Abu Sayyaf bandits have originally demanded US$ 2 million in exchange for Rodwell’s freedom.

Sakkalahul said he could not say whether there was ransom or “board and lodging” payment since it was Rodwell’s family who directly negotiated with the kidnappers.

Rodwell, 54, was seized by gunmen on December 5, 2011 from his home in Ipil, the capital town of Zamboanga Sibugay.

He was airlifted to this city from Pagadian City and was taken to the Camp Navarro General Hospital (CNGH) for medical check-up.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=509986

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