Taiwanese kidnapped in Malaysia freed in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—Another foreigner kidnapped in Malaysia was freed in Sulu on Friday, the third person released from captivity there since March.

Colonel Jose Johriel Cenabre, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, said Evelyn Chang was released around 4 p. m. in Sitio Kanja in the municipality of Talipao. Chang was reported kidnapped in Sempornah, Sabah, on November 15.

“The kidnap victim was brought to trauma hospital for medical check-up and she’ll be turned over to the consular office,” Cenabre said.

Several victims of kidnapping in Malaysia have been released in Sulu but the authorities would not say if the abductions were all perpetrated by Filipinos,  particularly members of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group.

Thirteen years ago, the Abu Sayyaf managed to pull off a major kidnapping abroad when it raided the Sipadan Resort in Sabah.

In August, one of two Chinese-Malayasians kidnapped in Lahad Datu in Sabah last year escaped from their abductors in Sulu’s Indanan town after his companion had died in captivity.

Tung Wee Jie said he and his cousin Fei were working on an oil palm plantation when abducted on November 13 last year.

Fei died of illness while in captivity, Tung said before returning to Malaysia.

In March, Chinese-Malaysian Pang Choon Pong was also released by the Abu Sayyaf in Jolo after holding him in captivity for about two years.  With a report from Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao