MANILA, Philippines—The family of the Australian citizen released after 15 months as a captive of the Abu Sayyaf group expressed hopes, on Monday, that their brother’s captors would soon be brought to justice.
In a brief statement, Warren Rodwell’s elder siblings Denise Cappello and Wayne Rodwell also called on the media to respect their family’s privacy as they would like to focus on helping their brother return to full health, citing his exhaustion and weight loss.
“We are happy and relieved that Warren has finally been released. We would like to thank all those in the Philippine and Australian governments who played a part in securing his release,” said Cappello.
“We wish for the Philippine police every success in tracking down the group that took Warren from his home. We hope they will be brought to justice so others don’t have to experience what Warren has just been through,” she added.
Rodwell’s siblings flew in Sunday night to Manila to take their brother back home. They did not take questions during the five-minute presser and gave no statement on the reported payment of P4 million in ransom for their brother’s release.
The al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group released Rodwell on Friday after an apparent ransom payment, as confirmed by his Filipina wife Miraflor. He had been taken from his home in Ipil, Zamboanga del Norte on Dec. 5, 2011.
Wayne Rodwell said the family would like to focus on restoring their brother’s health, calling the more than yearlong captivity as a “very difficult and exhausting ordeal” for his brother.
“Our immediate concern is for our brother’s health and his recuperation after this long period in captivity,” he added.
“Denise spoke at length to Warren on the phone on Saturday. He is delighted to be free. He has, however, lost a lot of weight and is exhausted. He will need medical support, as well as time and space to recover,” said Rodwell’s brother.
Cappello, meanwhile, thanked authorities in Australia and the Philippines for working towards their youngest brother’s release, particularly the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Kidnapping Group.
She cited in particular Basilan Vice Governor Al Rasheed Sakkalahul, saying: “Without his help, Warren would not be free from captivity.”
Capello did not elaborate, however, on Sakkalahul’s role in her brother’s release.