Freed TV crew members transferred to PNP HQ

MANILA, Philippines - The two Filipino television crew members released by the Abu Sayyaf group on Saturday night arrived at the Philippine National Police's headquarters in Quezon City on Monday morning.

Cameraman Ramel Vela and audio technician Rolando Letriro, who were kidnapped along with Jordanian journalist Baker Abdulla Atyani on June 13 last year, were brought to the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) office in Camp Crame for debriefing.

The AKG has yet to provide details of the debriefing of the released kidnap victims.'

Reports said that ransom was paid for the release of Vela and Letriro, who both had said that the last time they were separated from Atyani five days after their abduction and they have not seen the Jordanian journalist since.

Sulu provincial police director Senior Superintendent Antonio Freyra said Letriro and Vela were freed at around 6 p.m. Saturday, but he could not say what prompted the Abu Sayyaf to free the two hostages.

Atyani, bureau chief of the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel, and his Filipino crew had gone to Sulu to interview the Abu Sayyaf .

The two Filipinos were released from the Abu Sayyaf camp at Kuta Kan Masarin, Barangay Buhanginan, Patikul town.