Aquino ‘happy’ no one was hurt in resolving Agusan Sur hostage crisis

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III thanked government officials led by Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo for the “successful” resolution of the hostage-taking situation in Agusan del Sur that resulted in the safe recovery of all 12 hostages. “I’m happy no one was hurt,” President Aquino told reporters at the Department of Budget office where he attended an event Wednesday. He thanked the local crisis management committee for a job well done, saying the members “were very active and their knowledge of the terrain proved to be successful in handling this situation.” “And we are happy also with the response of the government forces that we really did all of the things necessitated by the playbook on how to handle such situation,” he said. “Overall the cooperation exhibited by Ondo Perez and the workings by the mayor, the governor in Agusan and the active intervention of our security forces up to the highest to include the Secretary of Department of Interior and Local Government who worked really well for the successful resolution of this problem,” Mr. Aquino said.