ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Government forces have rescued three Vietnamese sailors and retrieved the remains of another who were kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf bandits more than eight months ago in the Sulu Sea, military officials said Saturday.
Rear Adm. Rene Medina, Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) commander, said the Vietnamese sailors were rescued in a special operation at around 7:45 a.m. Friday near Kang Tipayan Island, Langunyan, Tawi-Tawi.
Medina identified those rescued as Buy Xuan Vien, Bui Trung Duc, and Nguten Quang Huy.
Medina said the troops also recovered the remains of Nguyin Huu Trong, who died in captivity.
He said they were transported to Zamboanga City for proper disposition and medical treatment.
“Through the operations conducted by our Marines and Navy, we successfully recovered the Vietnamese hostages off Tawi-Tawi. We will intensify our offensives to pressure the bandits to yield,” said Brig. Gen. Custodio Parcon Jr., Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi commander.
The rescued hostages were among the 17 crewmen of M/V Giang Hai 5 the Abu Sayyaf bandits had hijacked on February 19, this year, near Pearl Bank, Pangutaran, Sulu.
Government troops rescued 10 of the 17 crewmen while the bandits killed two of them when they tried to escape and took the remaining five to the mainland Sulu.
Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, has commended the troops of the NFWM and Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi for the successful rescue of the hostages.
Galvez said rescue operations aimed to rescue all the hostages have continued, citing there are still 15 hostages in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf bandits.
Seven of the 15 are foreigners and nine are Filipinos. (PNA)
