Vietnamese escapes from Abu captors

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A Vietnamese national escaped his Abu Sayyaf captors in Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan province on Friday morning, an Army official said.

Col. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade, said Hoang Vo’s escape came more than seven months after the bandit group stormed a ship off the coast of Sibago Island in Lamitan City, and held six crew members captive.

Uy said Vo was able to flee after government troops engaged the group of Abu Sayyaf bandits holding the Vietnamese in Ungkaya Pukan, some 30 kilometers from the provincial capital Lamitan.

He said the bandits were still holding five Vietnamese crewmen taken from MV Royal 16 on Nov. 11 last year. —JULIE ALIPALA