‘Local execs, AFP, PNP should unite to rescue Abu hostages’

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin has urged local government, police and military officials to unite their efforts to rescue seven remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf group.

Gazmin aired his concern during the Sulu provincial peace and order council meeting, attended by Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, on Friday.

He noted that some hostages have been in captivity for over a year and expressed concern for their physical condition.

Last week, police found Jordanian broadcast journalist Baker Atyani in Sulu.

Atyani, 44, bureau chief of the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel, was gaunt and emaciated when he was found in a remote village of Patikul town.

Atyani claimed he escaped from his captors after 18 months in captivity.

Dutchman Elwold Horn and Swiss Lorenzo Vinceguerre, who were abducted in February 2012, are still being held captive by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

Aside from the two foreigners, the group is also holding captive Filipino indie filmmaker sisters Nadjoua and Linda Bansil, telecommunications technician Dennis Aloba and escort Nasri Abubakar, and Sulu provincial treasurer Jess Cabelin. Government security forces were also trying to rescue four other kidnap victims. Two of them were kidnapped separately in Zamboanga Thursday night.