6 kidnapped Zamboanga family members ‘rescued’ in Sulu

SULU – Four Abu Sayyaf militants have surrendered to Sulu Governor Toto Tan and have been handed over to the military where they are currently being investigated.

The four young militants also surrendered three rifles and an automatic pistol to Tan in the presence of Lt. Col. Amadeo Cruz, commander of the 35th Infantry Battalion, at the Provincial Capitol in Patikul town last week.

The names of the surrenderees were not made public as military investigation continues in an effort to gather intelligence on the Abu Sayyaf activities in the province.

Tan said village officials of Anuling in Patikul town and the army battalion were instrumental in the surrender of the militants who wanted to live a peaceful life with their families. “They were instrumental in convincing the militants to surrender and return to the fold of the law,” he said. “The four surrenderees are now under the military custody.”

The governor also urged other Abu Sayyaf members to give up fighting and surrender peacefully and avail of the government’s amnesty program. “I hope that other members of lawless groups will follow suit and surrender in order for our people to enjoy an environment that is free from constant threat of fear and terror,” Tan said.

Last week, three Abu Sayyaf fighters – Radjuli Hadjijani, 25; Jun-jun Elah, 45; and Indek Sahimarri, 28, – also surrendered to the military in Sulu. They also handed over their M1 Garand rifles to the 101st Infantry Brigade under Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo.

Some 127 Abu Sayyaf fighters had surrendered to the military in the Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-tawi, and Zamboanga City since January this year.

Security forces have intensified its offensive operation against the notorious group in an effort to neutralize those who continue to fight the government. The Abu Sayyaf is still holding nearly a dozen hostages, mostly foreign sailors kidnapped at sea in the restive southern Philippine region over the past years. ZAMBOANGA CITY – Security forces have allegedly rescued 6 members of a farming family kidnapped in Zamboanga del Norte’s Sirawai town and were all handed over last week to the municipal mayor, a military spokesman said.

Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, of the Western Mindanao Command, said the victims were rescued by soldiers and policemen in the village of Gata in Talipao town in Sulu province.

“The rescue operations, in support to the law enforcement operations of the Philippine National Police, was successfully undertaken by the combined elements of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 3 led by Lieutenant Colonel Ramil Holgado, under the Joint Task Force Sulu led by Brigadier General Devino Rey Pabayo, with support from the intelligence operatives of the Philippine Navy,” he said without further elaborating.

Besana did not say if any of the kidnappers had been arrested or if security forces clashed with the captors, or if the victims were freed and fetched by troops in Sulu.

Gunmen kidnapped Feliciano Javier, 28; his wife Elsa, 28, and their five-month old baby Vincent; and Junior Javier, 22, and wife Rica, also 22years old and their five-year old son Val, on July 1. The couples are all keepers of farm owned by Valiente Felizarta, the municipal engineer of Sirawai.

The kidnappers originally demanded P400,000 for the safe release of the hostages. Police have tagged Jamilon Tukalan as the leader of the kidnappers, but the Western Mindanao Command said the gang is headed by Jamilo Wahab. It was unclear whether Tukalan and Wahab is the same man or if he is a leader of the Abu Sayyaf or allied with the notorious group.

The town’s deputy mayor, Jaime Felizarta, told police investigators that a man, who identified himself as “Abu” demanded the ransoms.