ZAMBOANGA CITY — Four Indonesians were freed by their Abu Sayyaf abductors in Sulu on Wednesday afternoon.
Superintendent Junpikar Sittin, the police chief of Jolo town, said the four Indonesians were dropped off outside the house of Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan II at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
The victims were then brought to the Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital in Barangay Bus-Bus in Jolo for a medical check-up.
Sittin said several sources revealed that Samsula Adju, political affairs head of the Moro National Liberation Front, negotiated for the released of the kidnap victims, and that P50 million was paid as ransom.
Freed were Moch. Ariyanto Misnan, Lorens M.P.S, Dede Irfan Hilmi and Samsir. They were abducted by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits off the water of Tawi-Tawi on April 15.
On May 1, ten Indonesians were also freed and left outside Tan’s residence by their Abu Sayyaf captors in Sulu. The victims were crew members of tugboat who were abducted off the waters of Sulu on March 28.
READ: 10 Indonesian captives freed right at Sulu governor’s doorstep
On April 25, kidnap victim Canadian John Ridsdel was beheaded by his Abu Sayyaf abductors who demanded a P300 million ransom.
Three of his companions–fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Maritess Flor–remain in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf. They were taken from a marina in the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte on Sept. 21 last year.
Also still in the hands of their abductors are Malaysians Wong Teck Pang, Wong Hung Song, Wong Teck Chi and Johnny Lau Jung Hien, who were taken from Sarawak on April 1.
READ: Threat to behead Malaysian hostages of Abu Sayyaf looms again
The other kidnap victims in the hands of the bandit group were Japanese treasure hunter Toshio Ito, who was kidnapped in Pangutaran, Sulu in July 2010; Dutch birdwatcher Ewold Horn, who was taken captive in February 2012 in Panglima Sugala, Tawitawi; Chinese national Yahong Tan Lim, who was kidnapped in Isabela City in May 2014; Filipino fish traders Hajan Perong and Joshuan Bani who were kidnapped in Bongao, Tawi-tawi on June 2, 2014; and Filipino businessman Dennis Cabadunga, who was taken in Labason, Zamboanga del Norte in May 2015. JE