According to the Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), the 28-year old escaped from his captors in mangrove areas of Barangay Bual and Bato-Itum when his captors said they would behead him.
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An Indonesian sailor swam to freedom on Wednesday, nearly two months after he was abducted from a tugboat in the southern Philippines by Abu Sayyaf militants who threatened to behead him.
He will be brought to the Sulu provincial police office for processing and documentation before his eventual turnover to his family, the military officer added.
Sofyan was among the seven Indonesian crew members of the Charles vessel who were kidnapped by the militant group on June 23.
Locals spotted Safyan floating in the waters, trying to escape fishnets which entrapped him, when he was rescued.
“We have no information on the other captives but troops in the area were ordered to use all means to locate and rescue the hostages”, the spokesman continued.
Indonesian Mohammad Safyan (above, right) is examined by Dr. Raden Ikbala after he escaped his Abu Sayyaf captors on Wednesday. The three are concerned the kidnappings, piracy and other crime could undermine commerce in the region.
It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.
Tan said the Abu Sayyaf were holding 15 foreign hostages, including a Norwegian, a Dutch, five Malaysians and eight Indonesians.
The Philippines says it has stepped up a military offensive against the militants, who earlier this year beheaded two Canadian hostages.
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Washington and Manila list the Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 400 armed fighters, as a terrorist organization.
