AFP spox says Abu Sayyaf may still have 7 hostages

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo on Tuesday said the military is still looking for seven individuals who are believed to be held the Abu Sayyaf group.

At a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Arevalo said the alleged kidnap victims include a Vietnamese national, three Indonesians and three Filipinos.

"As regards ilan pa 'yung kidnap victims, so far ang bilang na meron tayo ay pito. Isang Vietnamese, tatlong Indonesians at tatlong Pilipino..." Arevalo said.

"'Yan so far ang mayroon tayong information pero vina-validate pa rin natin in a sense na some of them, for example 'yung Vietnamese was reported missing. Merong communication na nagde-demand for ransom pero hindi pa rin natin na-validate 'yun," Arevalo said.

Meanwhile, Arevalo said government forces are also verifying information that the abductors were asking for ransom from the Indonesian government for the release of the Indonesian hostages.

"For one, inaalam muna natin ang veracity niyan dahil wala naman siyang official demand for ransom, I understand sa video lang pinalabas. That's subject to validation," Arevalo said.

Arevalo claimed that the Abu Sayyaf group's kidnapping activities were not as strong as before because the local terrorists no longer have money to finance their activities.

"Papahina na ang kanilang kidnapping activities dahil sa wala silang nakukuhang ransom so far sa mga nangyaring rescue, wala na rin silang salapi na pambayad sa mga tao na puwedeng makatulong na maitago sila," Arevalo said.

The AFP official vowed that the military would remain relentless in pursuing the members of the local terror group.

On Monday, Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana confirmed that British national Allan Hyrons and his wife, Wilma, who were kidnapped in a resort in Tukaran, Zamboanga del Sur last October, were rescued by security forces in Parang, Sulu.

Sobejana said the couple was rescued after a 10-minute firefight at the boundary of Barangay Silangkan and Taha.

Sobejana said no ransom money was given to the abductors, but he admitted that the kidnappers asked ransom money for the couple's release.

“Noong una P50 (million) tapos to nireduce to P10 (million) pero there was no ransom at all,” Sobejana said. — RSJ, GMA News