Rescued Chinese grateful to Philippine authorities

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Chinese national who was rescued from the hands of terrorists in an east coast village in this city thanked the Philippine authorities on Friday for the efforts to save him.

“I am very happy. I am thankful to the Philippine police and military,” Yuan-Kai Lin, 38, said Friday morning when he was presented to media for a photo session at Camp Batalla.

Yuan-Kai said his kidnappers, the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits, treated him well. He added that he was at the bandits’ training camp since July 6 this year.

Joint police and military troops rescued him Thursday when they stormed and overran the training camp in Sitio Dulian, Calabasa village, 55 kilometers east of this city.

Yuan-Kai begged off Friday from answering further questions, saying with gestures that “I can talk only little English.”

But he was kidnapped along with another Chinese national identified as Jian Luo, 48, by six gunmen last June 4 from their rented house in the village of F. L. Peña, Kabasalan town, Zamboanga Sibugay province.

Yuan-Kai and Jian are natives of Shenshen (not Guandong as earlier reported), China, and are vice president for operations and vice president for finance of Li-Lo Minerals Traders, respectively.

Jian was released at one of the local hotels last August 26 after reportedly paying P5 million in ransom.

They had been frequenting the town of Kabasalan where they do business.

Estilles said that five people -- four Abu Sayyaf bandits and a woman -- were killed while one was captured when the troops stormed the Abu Sayyaf training camp.

One of those killed was Termije Ajijul, a mid-level leader operating under the group of Abu Sayyaf leader Khair Mundos. The slain woman was Ajijul’s wife.

Captured was Sambri Aslon Kamlon alias Abu Zaid.

Estilles said they have received information from civilians that four, including Mundos, were wounded but managed to escape.

The United States Department of Justice is offering $500,000 for information leading to the arrest of Mundos for his role in the transfer of funds from the al-Qaeda terror network to the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

A policeman was wounded during the firefight, Estilles said.

The troops have recovered four high-powered firearms, several rounds of ammunition, 14 back packs owned by new Abu Sayyaf recruits, training manuals of the Southeast Asian Terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, cellular phones and other personal belong, including hammocks.

Estilles said there were more than 10 huts with running trenches from one hut to the other inside the training camp.

He said the place is believed to be the training camp of the Abu Sayyaf bandits in the region.

He said several teenagers, who are believed to be new recruits, are frequently sighted in the camp. (Sunnex)