Freed hostages to be reunited with families soon—Roxas

INQUIRER MINDANAO FILE PHOTO

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Interior and Local Governmeny Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas said the hostages would be reunited with their relatives soon.

Roxas said the 117 hostages rescued since Monday were undergoing tactical debriefing which will last for at least three hours.

“This will ensure that the government will know what they know,”  Roxas said in Filipino.

After the debriefing, the hostages , if cleared, will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development to cater to their psychosocial needs, Roxas said.

Roxas said part of the debriefing was to ensure that no Moro National Liberation Front member, pretending to be a civilian, has mixed with the group.

He said many of the hostages were dazed but were now being fed.

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29 hostages have been freed by MNLF since Sept. 9