DAVAO CITY – Abu Sayyaf militants have freed early Friday a kidnapped Filipino woman after more than 9 months in captivity in the southern Philippines following a series of negotiations, officials said.
Officials said the hostage, Maritess Flor, was brought to the house of Sulu Gov. Totoh Tan – the head of the Crisis Management Committee – around 2 a.m where she was immediately secured and fed. Tan phoned the military to say that Flor had been freed.
“She is okay. She was fed and examined medically and is so happy to be out of the jungle. She spoke with Governor Totoh Tan and his father, Vice Governor Sakur Tan, and thanked them for their efforts and hospitality. Military officers who rushed to house also spoke with Flor,” one of Tan’s aides told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Flor was handed to the group of Secretary Jesus Dureza, peace adviser of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, who sent a private plane to Sulu to fetch the woman. Flor’s family in Bukidnon province had previously appealed to Duterte to help secure the safe release of the woman.
Dureza said the elder Tan helped in securing the safe release of Flor following instruction from Duterte, and is also negotiating with the kidnappers for the freedom of Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad who is still being held in captivity in Sulu, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.
“We have direct instructions from President Rodrigo Duterte to secure the freedom of Maritess Flor and Kjartan Sekkingstad. Maritess is here with me now. There is an ongoing negotiation for Sekkingstad release,” Dureza told the Mindanao Examiner.
Flor was presented to Duterte in Davao City during a police ceremony. Duterte said the elder Tan helped in securing the release of Flor. “Governor Sakur Tan helped us,” he said while shaking hands with the vice governor. Duterte said Sekkingstand may also be freed soon.
Flor and Sekkingstand were kidnapped along with Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall on September 21 at a posh resort on Samal Island in Davao del Norte province. Both Ridsdel and Hall, Flor’s fiancé, were beheaded separately by the Abu Sayyaf after their family and Canadian government rejected P600 million ransoms demanded by the militant group.
Dureza said no ransom was paid for the release of Flor. “No, there was no ransom paid for Flor’s safe release,” he said.
The release of Flor came days after Duterte strongly warned the Abu Sayyaf to free all their hostages. The military said operations against the Abu Sayyaf continue in Sulu.
Flor also spoke to the press and narrated her ordeal – sobbing in between her story – but at the same time happy to be out of her misery.
She said her captors woke her up to say that she would be released. “Ginising lang ako kaninang madaling araw at sinabi nila na Maritess gising ka, sabi ko bakit, sabi niya tanggalin mo yan posas sa paa mo at sabi niya ihahatid kita so yun lang,” she told reporters after meeting with Duterte.
Flor said they constantly walked in the jungle for long hours especially at night to evade security forces. “Sa gabi naglalakad kami ng matagal at hindi ko kabisado ang lugar, wala akong alam kasi hindi rin nila,” she said.
She sobbed after being asked about her feelings following Hall’s brutal murder. “Yun pinatay nila si Robert, kasi alas 3 (ng hapon) yun ano nila (deadline) so naghihintay sila ng tawag doon sa media so pagtapos ng phone calls doon na sila nag decide na patayin si Robert,” she said.
“Sobrang sakit kasi nakikita ko sila bago pinugutan sila ng ulo, sobrang sakit at pinapanood nila, masaya sila, para masaya silang gagawin nila yun. Nilagyan lang nila ng posas at dinala sa unahan at doon na ginawa, wala na akong alam. Hindi ko nakita ang (pagpugot sa ulo.),” Flor added.
Flor said the Abu Sayyaf is threatening to execute Sekkingstad if his family fails to pay P300 million ransom. “Yun ang sabi nila kung hindi maibigay yun demand yun ang sabi nila, yun ang hinihingi nila dati yun ganoon ransom,” she said. (Mindanao Examiner. With a report from Ely Dumaboc)
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