Abu Sayyaf militants have freed Tuesday, May 26, 2009 three teachers kidnapped in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines after four months in captivity. The trio - Quizon Freires, 28; Janette Delos Reyes, 29; and Rafael Mayonado, 24 – were kidnapped at sea on January 23 while returning by boat from a break on Sacol Island in Zamboanga City. They were brought to Basilan province where the kidnappers originally demanded P6 million ransoms and eventually lowered this to P2.5 million for their safe release. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Jung Francisco)ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 26, 2009) – Abu Sayyaf militants have freed Tuesday three teachers kidnapped in Zamboanga City after four months in captivity.
The trio - Quizon Freires, 28; Janette Delos Reyes, 29; and Rafael Mayonado, 24 – were kidnapped at sea on January 23 while returning by boat from a break on Sacol Island in Zamboanga City.
They were brought to Basilan province where the kidnappers originally demanded P6 million ransoms for their safe release.
Radio station dxRZ in Zamboanga City reported that the hostages were released to a private negotiator in the town of Mohamad Ajul.
Military and police officials did not give any statement about the release of the hostages and telephone calls from journalists were either ignored or went unanswered.
Other reports said an unspecified amount of ransom was allegedly paid to the Abu Sayyaf headed by Commander Aguila, who lowered their demand to P2.5 million.
The families of the hostages have previously approached the Moro Islamic Liberation Front after accusing the government of failing to help them secure the freedom of the trio.
The release of the hostages came a week after Abu Sayyaf militants beheaded a kidnapped farm owner Doroteo Gonzalez in Basilan’s Akbar town. His body was not recovered.
Gonzales, 61, was snatched from his house April 25 in the village of Buenavista in Zamboanga City and brought to Basilan by his captors. Gonzales was killed after his family failed to pay P25 million ransom.
Late last year, Abu Sayyaf gunmen also kidnapped a hospital nurse and a nursing student in Zamboanga City and brought them to Basilan and were ransomed off by their families several weeks later.
Police said the Abu Sayyaf is also holding a lending firm collector, Leah Patris, seized near Basilan’s Maluso town and a Sri Lankan national, Umar Jaleel, a member of the international peace advocate group called Nonviolent Peaceforce, both were kidnapped in February.
The Abu Sayyaf is a small band of militants blamed for the country's worst terrorist attacks and is still holding an Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni who was seized in January in Sulu province. (Mindanao Examiner)
The trio - Quizon Freires, 28; Janette Delos Reyes, 29; and Rafael Mayonado, 24 – were kidnapped at sea on January 23 while returning by boat from a break on Sacol Island in Zamboanga City.
They were brought to Basilan province where the kidnappers originally demanded P6 million ransoms for their safe release.
Radio station dxRZ in Zamboanga City reported that the hostages were released to a private negotiator in the town of Mohamad Ajul.
Military and police officials did not give any statement about the release of the hostages and telephone calls from journalists were either ignored or went unanswered.
Other reports said an unspecified amount of ransom was allegedly paid to the Abu Sayyaf headed by Commander Aguila, who lowered their demand to P2.5 million.
The families of the hostages have previously approached the Moro Islamic Liberation Front after accusing the government of failing to help them secure the freedom of the trio.
The release of the hostages came a week after Abu Sayyaf militants beheaded a kidnapped farm owner Doroteo Gonzalez in Basilan’s Akbar town. His body was not recovered.
Gonzales, 61, was snatched from his house April 25 in the village of Buenavista in Zamboanga City and brought to Basilan by his captors. Gonzales was killed after his family failed to pay P25 million ransom.
Late last year, Abu Sayyaf gunmen also kidnapped a hospital nurse and a nursing student in Zamboanga City and brought them to Basilan and were ransomed off by their families several weeks later.
Police said the Abu Sayyaf is also holding a lending firm collector, Leah Patris, seized near Basilan’s Maluso town and a Sri Lankan national, Umar Jaleel, a member of the international peace advocate group called Nonviolent Peaceforce, both were kidnapped in February.
The Abu Sayyaf is a small band of militants blamed for the country's worst terrorist attacks and is still holding an Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni who was seized in January in Sulu province. (Mindanao Examiner)
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