Zamboangueño construction worker Edmundo Ramos (left) on Monday chats with his co-workers Filemon Guerrero Jr and Jason Vailoces while his daughter sits on his lap. Troops safely recovered Ramos on Monday after he escaped from th Abu Sayyaf captivity. (Remus Ong/PNA)
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 14 -- Government forces have safely recovered the remaining Zamboangueño construction worker seized by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu, a top military official said Monday.
Recovered by Navy forces was Edmundo “Moymoy” Ramos, a resident of Barangay Tumaga, this city.
Rear Adm. Rene Medina, Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) commander, said Ramos was recovered around 1 a.m. Monday at the vicinity of Tapiantana Island in the municipality of Tabuan Lasa, Basilan province.
Ramos said he was taken to Tapiantana Island by a “concerned civilian” whom he sought help after his escape on Sunday from the custody of the ASG.
Ramos said he immediately revealed that he just escaped from captivity when the Navy personnel intercepted them Monday upon disembarking from a motorized banca in Tapiantana Island.
Medina said Ramos was recovered by Joint Task Force Basilan through Naval Task Group Basilan, Naval Task Force 61, and Naval Intelligence Security Group Western Mindanao (NISGWM).
He said the injured Ramos was immediately taken to the hospital at Adm. Espaldon Naval Base that houses the NFWM headquarters.
Ramos was among the five Zamboangueño construction workers the ASG has kidnapped while they were asleep in their barracks at the Provincial Sports Complex on July 15 in 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 other three namely Jason Vailoces, Joel Adanza, and Filemon Guerrero Jr. have escaped in the after of Thursday, August 10, and were safely recovered around 9 a.m. Friday, August 11, in Barangay Kagay, Talipao, Sulu.
Medina turned over Ramos on Monday to Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar and consequently to his family. (EED/PNA)
