Release of Abu Sayyaf hostage ‘act of goodwill’—Dureza

Incoming Presidential Adviser to the Peace Process Jesus Dureza accompanies Maritess Flor to the Davao City Police Office on Friday afternoon. Flor has just been released by the Abu Sayyaf after nine months of captivity. KARLOS MANLUPIG/INQUIRER MINDANAO

DAVAO CITY—The release of Filipina kidnap victim Marites Flor was “an act of goodwill,” incoming Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza said on Friday.

Dureza was quoting Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan II who “made all the effort” for the release of Flor.

“According to Gov. Sakur Tan, it was an act of gesture of goodwill. Because they knew that President-elect [Rodrigo] Duterte wanted badly the release of the hostages,” Dureza said.

Dureza did not eleborate.

Flor was released before dawn on Friday and was later turned over to Tan nine months after she was kidnapped in a marina on Samal Island.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Flor was set free by still unidentified men near Tan’s house at 3 a.m.

PNP said police brought Flor to the Trauma Station Hospital at Camp General Teodolfo Bautista in Jolo, Sulu, for medical examination at 11:45 a.m.

The Abu Sayyaf Group had demanded ransom for Flor and the other hostages but Dureza maintained that there was no precondition to her release.

In a speech here on Tuesday, Duterte urged the Abu Sayyaf to surrender without demands because there would be “a day of reckoning.” /rga

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