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Military rescues Indonesian from Abu Sayyaf captors


An Indonesian held captive by the Abu Sayyaf has been rescued by government security forces on Tuesday in Sulu, the military said Wednesday.

In a statement, the Armed Forces' Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), identified the rescued hostage as Juragan Kapal Samsul Saguni who was held hostage for four months.

The military said the victim was rescued through the efforts of former Sulu Governor Abdul Sakur Tan and soldiers of the 41st Infantry Battalion, and the 5th Infantry Division and 11th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.

Upon his rescue, the victim was brought to the residence of Tan in Poblacion, Maimbung, Sulu around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Soldiers from the Joint Task Force (JTF) Sulu, for their part, facilitated the custodial debriefing of Saguni at the JTF Sulu headquarters in Barangay Bus-bus, Jolo, Sulu.

The victim also underwent a medical checkup at Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Hospital in Barangay Bus-bus and his medical results showed that he is physically healthy based on the account of Brigadier General Divino Rey Pabayo Jr.

Saguni, however, will still be brought to the headquarters of the Western Mindanao Command for debriefing.

"Our Joint Task Force Sulu is committed in rescuing captives of the Abu Sayyaf and in ending the terrorist group’s kidnap and ransom ploys through the consistent conduct of counter operations against the militants and through the strengthened cooperation with the local government and the people of Sulu to encourage the capitulations of the rest of the Abu Sayyaf militants," said Lieutenant General Arnel Dela Vega, Wesmincom Commander.

Yunos, 35, was kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants aboard a Malaysian fishing/trawler vessel in waters off Semporna, Sabah last September 11, 2018.

Pabayo said the Abu Sayyaf is still holding five foreigners and three Filipinos in Sulu. — Llanesca T. Panti/RSJ, GMA News 

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