ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Philippine military paraded Monday 5 kidnapped Filipino fishing crew members recovered by soldiers on the remote southern province of Tawi-Tawi in the restive Muslim autonomous region, officials said.
Officials said the fishermen – Vergel Arquino, from Davao City; Jushua Ybanez; Emo Fausto; Junald Minalang; and Spriano Sordid, all from Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province – were recovered Friday on Languyan Island.
The men were crew members of the fishing boat Danvil 8 kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf on October 14 off Pangutaran Island in the Sulu Sea.
Rear Admiral Rene Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said security forces found the opportunity to rescue the victims after learning the captors were confused and on the run due to the continuing conduct of focused military operations in the area. “The timing was critical since the captors may shoot the victims if they will know about the plan,” Medina said.
Brigadier General Custodio Parcon, Jr., commander of the Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi, said the successful rescue was made possible due to the loose security of the captors.
Both officials did not say if soldiers made any arrest, but apparently the fishermen were recovered by troops after their captors abandoned them.
The military did not release details of the recovery, but it was also in Languyan where security forces recovered this month 3 Vietnamese sailors Buy Xuan Vien, Bui Trung Duc and Nguten Quang Huy, including the cadaver of another seaman Nguyin Huu Trong who died while in captivity.
Until now, security officials did not say how the Vietnamese were rescued or whether the hostages had been freed for ransom. The sailors were among 17 crew members of the cargo ship MV Giang Hai 5 hijacked by the Abu Sayyaf on February 25 while sailing off of Pangutaran Island. Two of the crewmen were also killed by the Abu Sayyaf while attempting to escape while the rest had been recovered by soldiers.
The recovery of the sailors coincided with President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to Vietnam for the APEC summit. The Western Mindanao Command previously said that Abu Sayyaf militants are still holding over two dozen Filipinos and foreign hostages in the restive region. (Mindanao Examiner)
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