Details of the daring escape by Swiss national from Abu Sayyaf captivity bared (Feature)

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 8): Details of the daring escape by Swiss national from Abu Sayyaf captivity bared (Feature)

The daring escapade last Saturday by Swiss hostage Lorenzo Vinciguerra, who was held captive by the Abu Sayyaf terror group in Sulu for over two years was full of action and suspense when he was recaptured in his first attempt, but succeeded in his second try by killing the lone terrorist guarding him in a mortal hand-to-hand combat.

Details of Vinciguerra’s great escape were revealed to the Philippines News Agency during an exclusive phone interview with Col. Alan Arrojado, commander of the Zamboanga-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi Task Group of the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Sunday night.

Arrojado described the escape of the Swiss national as classic and one for the books when Vinciguerra virtually fought way to freedom at the crack of dawn last Saturday (Dec. 6, 2014) in Talipao, Sulu when government forces mounted an innovative simultaneous attacks on three targets on the island province where the al-Qaeda linked terrorists are hiding in their mountain lairs.

“It was a well-planned attack after our intelligence unit had confirmed the presence of the Abu Sayyaf holding some 10 local and foreign hostages in separate areas,” said Arrojado, who drew up the battle plan.

“The plan was to mount a ground and air assault first by firing our 105mm howitzers followed by an aerial bombardment,” Arrojado said.

First and Philippine Army Battery fired 50 rounds of 105mm, followed by an interval of every 30 minutes.

“I took the risk and paid off,” he said.

After confirming 100 percent of the reliability of the intelligence report provided by the local populace, Arrojado gave the green light to launch the attacks at 3 in the morning of Saturday.

“The attacks lasted for only 30 minutes and during the lull, Vinciguerra made his first dash to freedom but unfortunately he was recaptured at 4 a.m.,” Arrojado said, quoting the Swiss as saying later when he gained his freedom.

“I ordered my troops to cease firing,” although at that time Arrojado did not have an inkling that Vinciguerra was trying to escape from his abductors.

At 5 in the morning he again ordered his troops to resume the simultaneous attacks against the Abu Sayyaf terrorists who by this time were apparently in disarray as they could not reinforce their other comrades because they themselves were under attack.

Seeing another opportunity, “Vinciguerra decided to sneak out of the camp but a few minutes after, he was noticed by one Abu Sayyaf member, a certain Hussein who was later identified as Abu Sayyaf Group sub commander Juhurim Hussein and a fist fight between the two ensued,” Arrojado said.

During the melee, “Vinciguerra was able to hack Hussein on the head and neck but Hussein fought back and hacked the Swiss on the left side of the face,” he added.

“It was during this confusion that Vinciguerra made his second attempt to escape for good but not after he disposed with the lone Abu Sayyaf guarding the Swiss national, first when they squared off in a fist fight before he (Vinciguerra) was able to seize the machete from the Abu Sayyaf terrorist who hacked him in his face,” Arrojado said.

“When Vinciguerra got hold of the machete, he swung it at the terrorist who was fatally hit,” the army colonel added.

Upon seeing the opportunity for a second escape attempt, Arrojado quoted the bearded Swiss national as saying that it was at that instance that “I decided to escape.”

“Vinciguerra while wandering where to go, a Muslim civilian spotted him bleeding profusely from the wound in his face,” Arrojado added.

By 7 a.m. he was brought to Lt. Col. Eugene Buquio, commander of the Scout Ranger Battalion deployed in Sulu.

It was during the briefing that Vinciguerra was informed that the terrorist he killed was Juhurin Hussien, an Abu Sayyaf sub-commander under Radullan Sahiron, the Swiss national was surprised to know.

Hussien was hacked in the neck, killing him on the spot.

At that instance, it was a matter of life and death for Vinciguerra because if he were recaptured for the second time, he would be beheaded by his captors as what they did to several of their captives before.

Luckily for Vinciguerra he survived the hand-to-hand combat to make a great escape of his life he will never forget to his last breath.

Arrojado vowed that the military will continue its hot pursuit operation against the remaining of about ten hostages, including those held by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

He credited the full cooperation of the people in Sulu by giving accurate intelligence information on the hideouts of the Abu Sayyaf that enabled the military to conduct combat operations last Saturday.

It may be recalled that it was on Feb. 1, 2012 that Vinciguerra, a birdwatcher from Switzerland, was kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf in Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines southernmost island, along with Elwold Horn, a Dutch, and Ivan Sarenas, their Filipino guide.

However, Horn and Sarenas escaped by jumping into the sea while they were brought to Sulu aboard a motor boat.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=10&sid=&nid=10&rid=713946