Captain Ryan Lacuesta, Civil Military Operations chief of the 2nd Marine Brigade, supervises the medical checkup of one of the Bansil sisters after the recovery of the independent filmmakers from their Abu Sayyaf kidnappers in Sulu. (photo from CMO, 2nd Marine Brigade)
After nearly eight months in captivity, Filipino-Algerian sisters Nadjoua and Linda Bansil were freed from the hands of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) through a rescue operation by the Marines with local authorities.
Second Marine Brigade Commander Colonel Jose Johriel Cenabre said the Bansil sisters were "rescued" from the bandits at about 5 p.m., Thursday in Sitio Cantatang, Barangay Bungahinan in Patikul, Sulu.
“Nahanap natin ‘yong lugar na kinaroroonan ng kidnap victims [We were able to locate the area where the kidnap victims were],” said Cenabre in an interview with dzMM radio past 11 p.m., adding that the sisters did not escape from their captors.
“Wala namang nagyaring exchange of gun fire …para lang yatang naipit ang Abu Sayyaf, iniwanan na lang nila ang kidnap victims [There were no exchange of gun fires…it seemed that the Abu Sayyaf got stuck with something and just left the kidnap victims],” added Cenabre.
Cenabre said the medical examination of the sisters showed them to be "in good condition" despite their ordeal.
The sisters, both independent filmmakers, were brought to the house of Sulu Governor Abdusakur “Totoh” Tan II after their rescue.
Ten armed men believed to be members of a faction of the ASG led by a certain Aljini and Bensaudi Mundoc abducted the Bansil sisters on June 22, 2013 while the two were on board a Jolo town-bound passenger jeepney in Patikul town. The two were in Sulu to shoot footage for another film they are working on.
In July 2013, it was reported that abductors demanded P50 million for the release of the victims. But Cenabre said on Thursday that the kidnappers were only asking for a P3-million ransom.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/81178/bansil-sisters-rescued-from-abu-sayyaf-after-8-months-in-captivity
Escaped? Rescued? Released? Bottom line: The ransom was paid. All other explanations are just so much window dressing.
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