Abu Sayyaf release 2 Indonesian fishermen

THE Abu Sayyaf bandits have freed two of the five remaining Indonesian hostages more than a year after they were kidnapped in the waters between the Philippines and Malaysia, the military said Saturday.

Released were La Utu Bin La Raali and La Hadi La Edi, both Indonesians and skippers of Malaysian-registered fishing boats.

The Joint Task Force Sulu said the two were taken to the resident of former Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan Sr. by a concerned citizen at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the village of Asturias, Jolo town.

Tan immediately provided them food and other needs and notified Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander.

Sobejana proceeded to Tan’s residence and fetched them to the headquarters of Joint Task Force Sulu where they have undergone medical examination.

There was no other details available surrounding the release of the two Indonesian fishermen.

The Abu Sayyaf bandits have seized the victims on November 5, 2016 between Pegasus Reef and Kuala Kinabatangan near the municipality of Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi.

The Turtle Islands municipality is located within the Sulu Sea at the south-western tip of the country, at the edge of the international treaty limits separating the Philippines and Malaysia.

The bandits took them to the hinterlands of Sulu where they were held captives until they were released on Friday.

The release of the two has brought down the number of captives in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf Group to nine.

They included five foreigners--three Indonesians, one Vietnamese and one Dutch--and four Filipinos. (SunStar Philippines)