German captives appeal for release

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Two Germans that the Abu Sayyaf is holding captive in Sulu are asking Germany and the Philippines to exhaust all remedies for their safe release.

Speaking over Radio Mindanao Network (RMN)’s station dxRZ, 74-year-old Stefan Viktor Okonek and 42-year-old Henrite Dielen said their condition in the jungle continues to worsen and that they are not sure how long they could withstand it.

“I have to lay on the ground, sleep on the ground, it’s wet due to daily rain… my medical condition is worse that I fear about myself,” Okonek said briefly.

“Hopefully, our government can probably (work) to have us free.”

Dielen said they fear possible contamination of tropical diseases like malaria.

“We appeal the Philippine and German government(s) do all (they) can because we are living in difficult situation… the situation here is very, very stressful… we are not sure how long we can cope... The jungle is also very dangerous… tropical disease like malaria,” Dielen said.

The two were able to speak on air with the permission of Abu Ramin, the self-proclaimed spokesman for the Abu Sayyaf splinter Al-Harakatul Al-Islamiyah, after he demanded a P250-million ransom for their release during the Monday morning radio program of Jimmy Villaflores and Bhong Simjahon.

Ramin issued an 11-day ultimatum for Germany and the Philippines to heed his demand for ransom and for Germany to stop backing the US military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Ramin said they are giving Germany and Philippines until Oct. 10 to comply with their demands or they will harm the two Germans.

“If these demands will not be met we will decide on the fate of the two hostages,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said troops have mounted an operation to locate and rescue the two Germans.

Local government and civilian leaders of Sulu are helping troops to ensure the safety of the captives, he added.

The rescue operation aims to free the two Germans, as well as Dutchman Elwold Horn, Swiss Lorenzo Vinceguerre, a Malaysian police officer, a Chinese woman and her daughter, and Japanese Toshio Ito alias Mamaito Katayama, he added.