2 Abu Sayyaf captives freed

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 2:47 p.m.) — A South Korean and a Filipino who were abducted by the Abu Sayyaf in October have been turned over to the government.

Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesperson of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the victims South Korean Park Chul Hong and Filipino Glenn Alindajao were released in Indanan town in Sulu.

Both were abducted from the MV Dong Bang Giant off Tawi-Tawi in October 2016.

The victims were brought to the house of Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan II at Barangay Asturias, in Jolo, Sulu by members of the Moro National Liberation Front, Tan said. 

The MNLF has helped negotiate for the release of Abu Sayyaf hostages in the past.

According to a report by CNN Philippines, Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza said no ransom was paid for the release of the two hostages, who were turned over to the MNLF by a kidnapping group associated with Abu Sayyaf leader Abraham Hamid. 

Hamid was reportedly killed in a shootout with Malaysian security forces in Sabah in December.

ONGOING: Presscon on the successful negotiation for the release of the two hostages (1 Filipino and 1 Korean) held in Jolo, Sulu. pic.twitter.com/G9GMFrjQA3

— OPAPP (@peacegovph) January 14, 2017

The Philippine government has a no-ransom policy for kidnappings. "The more money you give, the more they are encouraged to continue," the CNN report quoted Dureza as saying.

Dureza fetched Park and Alindajao from Sulu and flew them to Davao City.

On Friday, the military's Western Mindanao Command said it was still verifying reports of a video shared on social media of the Abu Sayyaf supposedly threatening to kill Juergen Kantner, a 70-year-old German, if the German government fails to pay $10 million in ransom.

The Abu Sayyaf snatched Kantner from his private yacht near Tanjong Luuk Pisuk, Sabah in November last year. The group killed Kantner's partner Sabina Merz, 50, on the yacht.

Aside from Kantner, the Abu Sayyaf Group is also holding 25 other captives believed to be hidden away in the mountains.  — with a report by Roel Pareño