Kidnapped Australian adventurer freed in Philippines

From the Mindanao Examiner Blog (Mar 23): Kidnapped Australian adventurer freed in Philippines

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Abu Sayyaf militants have freed before dawn Saturday a kidnapped Australian adventurer following a successful government negotiations in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said the 54-year old Warren Rodwell, who was kidnapped in December 2011 from his seaside home in Zamboanga Sibugay’s Ipil town, was safely released in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province at around 1.30 a.m.
Army General Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, the commander of the 1st Infantry Division, has confirmed the release of Rodwell in Pagadian City and said Basilan Vice Governor Al Rashid Sakalahul helped in the negotiations to free Rodwell.

“Rodwell was released in Pagadian City and has been secured by the authorities,” Cruz, who was monitoring the negotiations, told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

Sakalahul said the leader of the kidnappers phoned him to say that they have freed Rodwell in Pagadian City.

“At exactly 1.30 a.m. March 23, I was called up by Puruji Indama (to say) that Mr Warren Rodwell, (the) Australian kidnapped victim, is being left by his abductor at Pagadian Fisheries Building. I immediately called up our (Basilan) Provincial Police Director (Senior Superintendent Mario Dapillosa) and the (Philippine Army Infantry) Brigade Commander Charlie Galvez to contact their counterpart in Pagadian City,” Sakalahul, an influential and respected political leader, said in a separate interview.

It was not immediately known whether Rodwell came from Basilan or held captive in Mindanao.

“I have done my part, my duty and responsibility as an elected official of the province. When the Filipino family of Rodwell sought my help three weeks ago, I told them that I will try all my best to help them and thank God that we succeeded in bringing out Rodwell safe and alive. God has rewarded us and heard our prayers,” Sakalahul said, referring to Rodwell’s wife Miraflor Gutang, 28, whom she met at a hotel in Zamboanga City.

Rodwell’s release came almost 8 weeks after the Abu Sayyaf threatened to kill the former soldier if ransom is not paid. The militants have originally demanded $2 million for Rodwell’s freedom.

Sakalahul said the family negotiated directly with the kidnappers and that he did not know how much “board and lodging” was paid in exchange for Rodwell’s freedom.

In January, the Abu Sayyaf released a video of Rodwell surrounded by masked gunmen as he pleaded for his life. In that clip, one of Rodwell’s captors read a statement: “To the Australian government, in behalf of the majlisus Shura of Alharakatul Islamiyya in southern Philippines, we officially inform you that your citizen Warren Rodwell is in our custody and control since he was abducted at Ipil, Sibugay Province, Mindanao Philippines last December 5, 2011 and now facing Islamic sharee’ah, if you have concerned with your men, we will give you a chance to save his life before it’s too late, as soon as possible time, otherwise he will suffer unusual way of death.”

Authorities had been searching for Rodwell in Basilan, but officials said security forces cannot locate him because the militants constantly moved from one hideout to another to evade detection by security forces.

In the last video, Rodwell was holding a newspaper dated January 25 and his captors – one holding a machine gun and the two others brandishing automatic rifles – stood by his sides.

“To our brothers in Islam we would like to make it clear that our activities like this are not for personal interests or just to gain money for personal use, let it be known to everyone we are on war against the forces of shaytan in the Philippines, its allies and supporters, and whatever we gain from this war is to be used for our future operations and other necessities,” the Abu Sayyaf said.

There was no immediate statement from the Australian Embassy or the Aquino government about the release of Rodwell.

Just on Thursday, Abu Sayyaf militants also freed a Malaysian fish merchant – Pang Choon Pong - they seized 17 months ago in Tawi-Tawi province in the southern Philippines.

The 48-year old native of Sandakan in Sabah Island has returned to his family after a successful negotiation by Malaysia. Pang was kidnapped by five gunmen in the village of Larap on Sitangkai Island on October 5, 2011 in Tawi-Tawi province.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the release was secured through careful and tireless negotiations with the kidnappers. “We empathise with the family and the trauma they must have gone through. As such we decided to intervene and assist in securing Pang's release,” he said.

Philippine police said the Abu Sayyaf is still holding a Japanese treasure hunter, Toshio Ito, 66, since 2010 and was last reported to have been helping the rebel group in cooking food for them and freely moves around.

Aside from the Japanese, the Abu Sayyaf is also holding Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani, 43, who went to Sulu province along with two Filipino assistants in June 2012 to secretly film the Abu Sayyaf for a documentary on Al Arabiya News Channel. The Filipinos were both freed this year.

Prior to his detention, Atyani has had previously travelled to the province in secrecy to interview terrorist leaders. The military has previously said it would arrest Atyani for espionage should he be released by the Abu Sayyaf. Atyani had also clandestinely interviewed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden before the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

Police said two European wildlife photographers Ewold Horn, 52, from Holland; and Lorenzo Vinciguerre, 47, from Switzerland, kidnapped in February 2012 in Tawi-Tawi province had been brought to Sulu. Police in Tawi-Tawi said the duo was allegedly seized by members of the Moro National Liberation Front.

http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/03/kidnapped-australian-adventurer-freed.html