Kidnapped Australian freed in Basilan: reports

Posted to ABS-CBN (Mar 21): Kidnapped Australian freed in Basilan: reports

 An Australian man kidnapped in Zamboanga Sibugay last December was freed by his captors Thursday afternoon, initial reports from the military said.

The Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) said in a press statement that Warren Rodwell was released in Basilan.

Rodwell, 53, was snatched from his residence in Ipil town last December 5.

As of posting, he was being brought to Wesmincom headquarters, according to a dzMM report by ABS-CBN Zamboanga's Jewel Reyes.

The military did not give further details on Rodwell's release, including answering questions on whether ransom was paid for his freedom.

Wesmincom later had apparent second thoughts in confirming Rodwell's release.

Wesmincom spokesman Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, who issued the earlier press release, said they are "hopeful" that Rodwell has been released by his kidnappers.

Local officials are mum on the issue.

Moro rebels earlier joined the hunt for the kidnapped Australian.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) formed a tracking unit to help authorities recover Rodwell, rebel spokesman Vol Al-Haq said.

He said the MILF was checking unverified reports that Rodwell was in the hands of the smaller Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group in their southern island territory of Basilan.

Rodwell, who is married to a Filipina, had been living in Ipil for 8 months prior to his abduction.
Authorities imposed a news blackout on the search, although various sources had said his abductors likely took him across to Basilan, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf.

Local press, citing police sources, have reported that Rodwell's abductors sent his wife photographs to prove he was alive and demanded an initial ransom of P1 million.

The Abu Sayyaf is a small band of Islamic militants which was formed with seed money from Al-Qaeda in the 1990s.

It has carried out numerous kidnappings for ransom, often targeting foreigners and Christians and a spate of high profile bombings over the past two decades.

It is not included in the peace talks between Manila and the 12,000-strong MILF, which had agreed to help government forces go after criminal gangs and terrorists in areas where it operates.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/03/21/13/kidnapped-australian-freed-basilan-reports