“[Misuari] all along assured us that he would need time but he would succeed”. I talked to Misuari even in the Cabinet meetings. “I can not tell you now, but we are trying our very best to put order in this country”, Duterte told the media.
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Sekkingstad told reporters he endured “psychological pressure”, with the Abu Sayyaf threatening several times to behead him.
“According to Philippine authorities, Sekkingstad is now in a relatively safe place”, Norway’s Foreign Minister Borge Brende said, adding, “We refrain from celebrating until Sekkingstad has been safely handed over to Philippine authorities”.
“I am so very happy and lucky to be alive”, Sekkingstad told reporters in the municipality of Indanan on Jolo Island in the Philippines. “This is a handsome feeling”, Sekkingstad told reporters later.
The Norwegian Government said the release was a “positive development”, but remained cautious, noting that Mr Sekkingstad was not yet in Government custody.
“The President’s personal commitment even before he took office has been crucial to solve this issue”, Førner said.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has warned his country’s troops to step up their fight against Abu Sayyaf Islamists and cautioned them the extremists want to establish a caliphate in south-east Asia.
Kjartan Sekkingstad was abducted along with three other people, including two Canadians and one Filipino from Samal Island in Davao del Norte in September 2015.
Abu Sayyaf beheaded the two Canadians it seized past year with Kjartan Sekkingstad, the first one in April and the other in June, after a deadline for the payment of ransom money lapsed.
After months of negotiations and even a rescue attempt carried out by Filipino forces, the vice governor of Sulu Province, Abusakar Tan, told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) that Sekkingstad had been released, was in good shape, “but needs to rest before he can travel onward”. He was to leave Davao City Saturday night.
Abu Sayyaf demanded a huge ransom for the release of the foreigners, and released videos in which they threatened the captives in a jungle clearing where they displayed ISIL-style black flags.
A day after release of Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, ISIL-linked group frees Indonesians.
“Yes, they were released to the MNLF by the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group)”, Adju confirmed, referring to the three Indonesians.
Before Saturday midnight, three Indonesian fishermen – Lorence Koten, Teo Doros Kofong and Emmanuel Arakian – were freed after reportedly paying P10 million in ransom.
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“We know the Armed Forces of the Philippines deployed around 10,000 troops [recently] and now there are 20,000 in the [southern] region to crush the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group”, Ryamizard Ryacudu told reporters at a military camp during a visit to southern Zamboanga City.
