Kidnapped Cebu City engineer picked up by Cafgus in Basilan

Yesterday was a memorable Father’s Day for the family of engineer Virgilio Fernandez, who was held by the bandit group Abu Sayaff in Lamitan City, Basilan province for nearly two weeks.

Fernandez’s wife Shirley, told Cebu Daily News that she was stunned when her husband called her up yesterday morning.

“Pirteng lipaya namo. Timing kaayo sa (We were so happy. We received the call on) Fathers Day,” she said.

She and her three sons are scheduled to fly to Basilan province on a 5 a.m flight today to meet Fernandez, who was freed in Tipo-tipo town at 9 a.m yesterday.

“He is with me right now,” said Brig. Gen. Alexander Macario, chief of Task Force Basilan.

Macario, however, refused to give details of the release since the victim had not undergone debriefing then.

Fernandez, a road contractor who resided in barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City was kidnapped in Lamitan City last June 3.

Lamitan City Mayor Roderick Furigay said the kidnappers negotiated directly with the victim’s family who went to Basilan last week.

Macario said Fernandez lost weight. “I was informed that the day he was kidnapped he was 160 pounds, now he is around 140 pounds. But he looks healthy.”

Officials gave differing accounts of Fernandez’s release.

Chief Insp. Edwin Placio said members of the Civilian Auxiliary Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) stumbled onto Fernandez in barangay Magcawa, Al Barka town in Basilan province and turned him over to the police.

The army, however, said its troops rescued Fernandez from his captors in a daring mission that did not spark any gunbattle.

Shirley said her husband didn’t elaborate on the details of his situation.

“His voice sounded low and weak,” she said.

Shirley said the kidnapping had stressed the family as her sons went on leave from work to monitor the rescue operation.

She declined to say whether there was any ransom paid to the kidnappers.

Shirley and her three sons recently arrived from Zamboanga City last Saturday.

She said Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar and Bishop Martin Jumawad were a big help in the rescue operation.

She said her husband was admitted to a hospital in Basilan due to his diabetes and heart condition.

Shirley said she heard that her husband’s condition had stabilized.

Fernandez, a project engineer of Mace Construction firm, was overseeing the concreting of the Basilan circumferential road from Colonia, Lamitan City to Buton, Mohammad Ajul municipality when the kidnapping occured.

He was temporarily residing in Lamitan City, Basilan and reportedly received threats from the Abu Sayaff prior to the kidnapping. Correspondent Fatrick Tabada with Inquirer and AP reports