Three Indonesian nationals and Norwegian national Kjartan Sekkingstad, right, stand next to Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari and other members of the rebel group after the hostages are freed from the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militant group, in Jolo, Sulu in southern Philippines on September 18, 2016.
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Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesman, said the military was hoping the remaining hostages would be freed and rescued as the bandits have split into smaller groups, and numerous hostages were bring held by smaller groups.
Major Felimon Tan, a regional military spokesman, said the release was the result of “ongoing military operations” targeting the group.
The three Indonesian fishermen were kidnapped in Lahad Datu in Sabah, Malaysia, on July 19.
“I like to express a heartfelt thank you to President Duterte, Secretary Duterte, the chairman Nur Misuari and his finest men who released me yesterday afternoon, got me out of captivity”, Sekkingstad said.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had suggested in August that a large ransom had already been paid but that the jihadists were still holding Mr Sekkingstad.
“He [Misuari] asked me to suspend the operations on the road where the Abu Sayyaf were coming down to meet with him to hand over the hostages”, Lorenzana said. Norway Ambassador Erik Forner reportedly flew to Davao in anticipation of Sekkingstad’s release.
According to Tan, the victims who were released Monday morning were brought to the headquarters of the Joint Task Force Sulu to undergo medical check-ups prior to being turned over to the proper authorities.
After the release of Sekkingstad and the three Indonesian fishermen and two Filipino kidnap victims were also freed on Sunday.
Two others in his group of 4 were – Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall were executed for non-payment of ransom – while Filipina Marites Flor was released earlier.
The President also vowed to provide a new budget for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as Abu Sayyaf is now working to establish a caliphate in Mindanao and the rest of Southeast Asia.
Solberg said the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, police and diplomats “have done a great deal of work” to have Sekkingstad released, and thanked Duterte and Dureza. “They are just IS wannabes”, defense department spokesman Arsenio Andolong said.
Sunday’s release – negotiated by the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels – took place on the island of Jolo in Sulu province.
It is based in remote Muslim-populated southern islands in the mainly Catholic Philippines, and has earned millions of dollars in ransom from kidnappings – often targeting foreigners.
But reports said ransom was, as usual, paid-an unspecified amount, but no doubt significant enough to empower this band of thugs to commit more acts of terror.
The militant group spokesperson Abu Ramie said that it received a $638,000 ransom for Sekkingstad’s release.
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Following the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Washington worked hard with the Philippine military to stop the group’s activities.
