ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 11 -- Government troops safely recovered three of the four Zamboangueño construction workers who escaped from captivity in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu, a top military official said Friday.
Recovered by joint military and police team were Jason Vailoces, Joel Adanza, and Filemon Guerrero Jr., all residents of Barangay Tumaga, this city.
Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said they were found at around 9 a.m. Friday in Barangay Kagay, Talipao.
Sobejana said they were safely recovered when the barangay captain of Kagay reported to the authorities the presence of the three victims in the village.
“At 9 a.m. today, 11 August 2017, unfamiliar-looking individuals were seen by the residents of Barangay Kagay, Talipao, Sulu. Immediately, the matter was reported to the barangay captain,” he added.
He said the three Zamboangueño construction workers were immediately taken to the provincial police headquarters for documentation.
He said the three victims revealed that the Abu Sayyaf bandits led by Almujer Yadah moved them from one place to the other “pushing them away from the ASG stronghold where they don’t avail of any community support anymore like provision of food, etc.” because of continuous military operations.
He said the three kidnap victims took the opportunity to escape at around 4 p.m. Thursday while their Abu Sayyaf captors were praying.
“They ran for their lives until they reached a community in Barangay Kagay (Talipao) early this morning where the locals helped them and turned them over to the authorities,” Sobejana said.
He said they will undergo medical examination and custodial debriefing at headquarters of the Joint Task Force Sulu in Camp Bautista, Barangay Busbus, Jolo, Sulu.
He said they will be airlifted to this city to reunite with their families and loved ones after completing the mandatory procedures.
They were among the five construction workers the Abu Sayyaf bandits have seized on on July 15 from their barracks at the provincial sports complex in Barangay Bangkal, Patikul, Sulu.
One of the five identified as Jenly Miranda escaped hours after they were seized.
Miranda jumped into a cliff while they were being taken to an Abu Sayyaf camp in Patikul town.
The escape on Thursday of the three hostages has left Edmundo Ramos in captivity in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Talipao, Sulu. (EED/PNA)
