2 gov’t employees freed by Abus

Two abducted government employees were released on Sunday night in Sulu province, by the Abu Sayyaf Group despite the failure of their families to pay ransom in exchange for their liberty.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said Alriznor Halis, a driver from Luuk town, and Aljimar Ahari, assistant driver from Indanan town, were freed by their captors at about 8:30 p.m., or almost six hours after they were forcibly taken by the ASG at Sitio Bsunoh Bangkal in Barangay Bangkal in Patikul, Sulu.

Both captives are contractual employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

According to Sobejana, the victims believed they were just used as shields by withdrawing ASG members who were being pursued by the military.

The victims said they were also used as guides by the ASG but they all got lost until the ASG decided to let them go.

Troops from the Army’s 35th Infantry Battalion, who found them wandering in the streets, led them to safety.

Sobejana said that during the debriefing, the father of one of the drivers told the military that he negotiated for the release and that the captors demanded P2 million ransom.