Hostages make daring escape
THREE hostages held by Muslim militants in the southern Philippines have made a daring escape that left one drowned, another shot in the back in a critical condition and another safe after swimming to his freedom, officials said.
The two Indonesians and one Malaysian separately escaped while Philippine marines were attempting to rescue them on Simusa island in southern Sulu province over the last two days, regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana said Saturday.
The dramatic escapes leave at least three more hostages in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf, which is blacklisted by the United States and the Philippines as a terrorist organisation due to its brutal history of bombings, ransom kidnappings, extortion and beheadings.
The remaining captives include a Dutch bird watcher, Elwold Horn, who was kidnapped by the militants in 2012, and two Filipinos.
One of the Indonesians, Heri Ardiansyah, was plucked from the waters by marines on board a gunboat while they recovered the body of his companion, Hariadin, who drowned. The marines gunned down three Abu Sayyaf captors who were trying to chase the two Indonesians at sea, military officials said. Like many Indonesians, Hariadin used just one name.
The marines seized four assault rifles, a grenade launcher and various ammunition from the captors of the Indonesians, military officials said.
The Malaysian, who was identified by the military as Jari Bin Abudullah, was shot by the militants when he ran away Thursday as marines tried to rescue him and engaged his captors in a gun battle. Government forces surrounded Simusa island to hunt down the remaining Abu Sayyaf gunmen.