Chinese tourist, Pinay freed in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – After nearly two months in captivity, a Filipina resort worker and a Chinese tourist seized from a resort in Sabah, Malaysia were freed in Sulu on Friday, police said.

Senior Superintendent Abraham Orbita, Sulu police director, said Marcelita Dayawan and Gao Hua Yuan were released to an emissary shortly before noon Friday in Sitio Kahoy Sinah, Barangay Tanduh Pugot in Parang town.

Orbita said Moro National Liberation Front commander Hadji Mamn Sangkula, a resident of Parang town, led negotiations for the release of the two captives.

Orbita, however, said he had no information on how the negotiations took place and if ransom was paid.

“No ransom paid to secure their release. Success due to cooperation of Malaysia and Philippines security forces,” Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak later wrote in a post on Twitter late on Friday.

“I thank all involved,” Najib tweeted, adding they were taking steps to facilitate the return of the Chinese national to her home as soon as possible.

Sources, however, revealed a large ransom was paid for the two women. It has been rare for the Abu Sayyaf to release hostages without ransom being paid.

Orbita said the two women were moved to Sitio Bawisan Hegad where they were provided with lunch before departing for Malaysia on a speedboat.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Dayawan will be turned over first to the Malaysian authorities before repatriation.

Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said arrangements are being made to repatriate Dayawan.

Jose said the embassy’s police attaché in Malaysia handling the case will escort Dayawan back to the Philippines.

Malacañang welcomed the release of the two women, saying authorities were unrelenting in their efforts to curb criminality that was also hurting the country’s image.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. cited the coordination of the security forces of Malaysia, the Philippines and even Indonesia to resolve cross-border issues and transnational crimes.

The two women were kidnapped from the Singamata Reef Resort in Sabah state on Borneo island on April 2 in a late-night raid by armed men and taken to an island in southern Philippines.

Sabah’s eastern coast – known for its pristine beaches and dive sites popular with tourists – has seen a string of violence, including a bloody armed assault last year by the Abu Sayyaf from southern Philippines.

The Abu Sayyaf, a small band of Islamic militants infamous for kidnappings for ransom, are prime suspects in the kidnapping of Gao and Dayawan.

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz, head of a Philippine anti-kidnapping task force in the south, confirmed that no ransom was paid to the kidnappers.

Cruz said the government planned to file criminal charges against the kidnappers but declined to comment further.

He added that authorities were still in negotiations to secure the release of other kidnap victims.

Suspected Abu Sayyaf militants are believed still holding several foreign and local hostages in the jungles of the southern Philippines, including two European bird-watchers seized in February 2012.

The Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for the kidnapping of 21 people, including several foreign tourists, from another Sabah dive resort in 2000.

Twenty of those hostages were released within five months, reportedly after hefty ransoms were paid. A Filipino captive was held until 2003.

Among the hostages being held by the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan are businesswoman Dina Lim Eraham, 45, and her daughter Yahong Lim Tan, 19, both of Isabela City. Their kidnappers have demanded P30-million ransom.

Also still being held is Sabrina Voon who was seized in Zamboanga City.

In Sulu, an Abu Sayyaf faction is believed to be holding Germans Stefan Viktor Okonek, 71, Herike Diesen, 55; Malaysian-Chinese Yang Zai Lin, 34, and Konar Resowan, taken last May 6 from Sabah.

The two Germans went missing in late April from their yacht off Palawan and were reportedly seized by the Abu Sayyaf and brought to Sulu.

The German captives are believed to be with two other European hostages – Dutchman Elwold Horn and Swiss Lorenzo Vinceguerre – both taken in February 2012 in Tawi-Tawi and brought to Sulu. – With Aurea Calica, Pia Lee-Brago