ZAMBOANGA CITY – A kidnapped Indonesian tugboat crew member who was set for execution by the jihadist group Abu Sayyaf had escaped Wednesday from his captors and rescued by villagers on a coastal town in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, authorities said.
Police and military said Mohamad Sofyan, one of 7 crew members of tugboat Charles, was spotted by civilians trapped inside a fish pen in the village of Bual in Luuk town, where the Abu Sayyaf is holding their hostages.
The Abu Sayyaf has set the beheading of the 28-year Indonesian when he managed to escape from his guards, according to the police, but it was unclear how he fled to safety or whether his compatriots are still alive or not.
The military’s Western Mindanao Command also confirmed the same report and said the police have taken custody of the Indonesian.
“Troops of the Joint Task Force Sulu were directed to scour the area and use all available assets to possibly locate the remaining kidnap victims and conduct operations to rescue them,” the military said in a statement.
The other sailors have been identified as Ferry Arifin, the tugboat skipper; M. Mahbrur Dahri, Edi Suryono, Ismail, M.Nasir, and Robin Piter. The boat – owned by PT Rusianto Brothers – was heading to Samarinda in East Kalimantan following a trip from the Philippines when gunmen on speedboats intercepted it on June 22.
Indonesian media reported that the boat captain phoned his wife and told her that they were intercepted at sea by gunmen, who introduced themselves as Abu Sayyaf and were demanding 20 million ringgits for their safe release.
The hostages are believed being held by the group of Alhabsi Misaya, a former member of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) which signed a peace deal with Manila in September 1996. Misaya had split with the MNLF and joined the Abu Sayyaf several years ago after Misuari reportedly ordered his execution for a still unknown reason, according to military intelligence reports.
The Abu Sayyaf previously kidnapped 14 Indonesian tugboat crewmembers in separate attacks at sea just this year and brought them to Sulu, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region, and eventually released through the intercession of the MNLF headed by Nur Misuari.
The militant group has beheaded a Malaysian man and two Canadian hostages in Sulu after their family failed to pay ransom money.
Just this month, MNLF forces clashed with Misaya’s group in Kalingalan Caluang town and killing four Abu Sayyaf members. It was unknown what triggered the fighting or whether the MNLF launched an operation to rescue the Indonesian hostages.
Security officials said the four slain militants, including their automatic weapons, had been recovered by the MNLF fighters headed by commanders Taib Sahibad, Alih Kipli and Abraham Joel. One of those killed by the MNLF forces had been identified by the military as Jennor Lahab, alias Commander Jim Dragon, and probably his son. Lahab was reported to be one of the aides of Misaya, a notorious militant leader. (With a report from Ely Dumaboc)
Like Us on Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/mindanaoexaminer
Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindanaoExamine
Read Our News on: http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com / http://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com/
Share Our News
Digital Archives: issuu.com/mindanaoexaminernewspaper
20
