ZAMBOANGA CITY – Abu Sayyaf militants freed a kidnapped government teacher following a private negotiations for her safe release in the southern Muslim province of Sulu.
Edrina Manalas Bonsil, who was seized on August 16 while one her way to work in the town of Patikul, had been freed on Thursday. The military’s Western Mindanao Command also confirmed her release in the village of Danag in Patikul.
Bonsil was abducted by 5 gunmen in Kanague village.
It said Bonsil, who teaches at the Tuup Elementary School, was brought home by Mayor Kabir Hayudini at her residence in Anuling village. The military did not say if ransom was paid to the Abu Sayyaf, but send a team of soldiers to Bonsil’s house to get information from her about her ordeal.
The mayor did not issue any statement, but his town is a known lair of Abu Sayyaf militants tagged as behind the series of ransom kidnappings in Sulu, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.
There was no statement also from the Department of Education in the autonomous region, but the military said the operation against the Abu Sayyaf is continuing in Sulu where the jihadist group is still holding over a dozen foreign hostages kidnapped off Sabah.
Just last month, Abu Sayyaf militants also seized 3 people, including a pregnant woman, on a village in Patikul town. The victims Shariff Julhasan Abirin, Levi Gonzales and his pregnant wife Daniela Taruc, were onboard a multi-cab when gunmen flagged down the vehicle on the village of Timpook and seized them.
The gunmen threatened to behead Gonzales – who works as a technician for Globe Telecom – if their demand for P1 million ransoms is not paid by the company. His wife was only accompanying him when gunmen seized them. There was no immediate statement from the telecom giant, but it is unlikely to pay ransom to the Abu Sayyaf for Gonzales’ life.
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops last week to intensify their anti-terrorism campaign, including operations against the Abu Sayyaf. (Mindanao Examiner)
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
