ABU SAYYAF FREES KOREAN HOSTAGE
Korean ship captain, Filipino crewman have been held for over 2 months Gov’t. did not get involve in any ransom payments, says Dureza
A KOREAN ship captain and a Filipino crewman abducted by suspected members of the Abu Sayaff group have been released on Saturday, Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza announced.
“We were able to successfully recover hostages. They have been there for about two months and a half,” Dureza, who flew to Davao City from Sulu, made the announcement as he presented the hostages in a press conference.
The freed hostages were identified as ship captain Park Chul Hing and crewman Glenn Alindajao from Cebu. They were taken cap- tive by armed men off the coast of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi in late October last year.
The two were fetched by Dureza on early Saturday in Jolo, Sulu and immediately flew them to Davao City. Dureza, however, said there was no need to present them to President Rodrigo Duterte.
“I contacted [Duterte’s special assistant] Mr. Bong Go to inform the President that they were already en route to me and I will physically have the hostage with me,” Dureza said.
Dureza said Park was not feeling very well while Alindajao wanted to return to Cebu.
He said the two have to undergo “trauma therapy” and added that the Korean Embassy would take care of them.
Asked if the government paid any ransom for their release, Dureza said, “As far as the government is concerned, we don’t get involved in any ransom payments at all… The government’s official policy is not to pay ransom.”
To avoid another incident, Dureza recommended that all big vessels “must be boarded by armed security officers so they cannot just easily take hostages.”