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BASILAN ISLAND: Their captors have released three
people kidnapped in the remote town of Al-Barka, a known stronghold
of the Muslim separatist rebels, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),
in Basilan late Sunday, police said.
It was not immediately known if
ransom was paid in exchange for the freedom of Ronnie Ando, Wilma
Sumergido and her son Michael, who were kidnapped July 20 in a
highway near Lamitan town.
Senior Superintendent Salik
Macapantar, Basilan police chief, said the three hostages were freed
at around 10:50 p.m. to a village chieftain, Asbie Alkie, who
negotiated with the kidnappers. “They are all freed and we are
glad it’s over,” he told The Manila Times.
Six people, including two village
officials, were kidnapped in Basilan in recent weeks and four of
them had been ransomed off while police rescued the remaining
hostages. The kidnappings have been blamed to the Abu Sayyaf and
rogue members of the larger MILF.
--Al Jacinto
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