‘MILF secured release of Basilan college official’
AL JACINTO, GMANews.TV
12/25/2009 | 08:58 AM
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were the ones who secured the release of Basilan State College vice president Orlando Fajardo Thursday night from his abductors in Basilan, provincial Vice Governor Al Rasheed Sakalahul said Friday.
"The MILF secured the release of Mr. Fajardo and handed him over to me. There was no ransom paid and the release was made possible through the help of the MILF," said Sakalahul, head of the provincial crisis management committee.
He said Fajardo, who was kidnapped December 10 from his home in Isabela City, was released on Mount Cubong near Lamitan City late Thursday, ending two weeks of captivity.
Sakalahul gave no further details about the rescue of the hostage, but said the MILF unit which rescued Fajardo was headed by Abas Salong. He said Fajardo was reunited with his family just in time for Christmas.
"We are happy this crisis is over," he said.
On Thursday night, Director Felizardo Serapio, chief of the Western Mindanao integrated police operations, said Fajardo was recovered at the vicinity of Mt. Cubong in Barangay Parang Basak. [See: Abducted Basilan college official released - police]
"The release was a result of police and military pressure and negotiation efforts of the crisis management committee," Serapio said.
Who is Abas Salong?
Eid Kabalu, a senior MILF leader, said Salong is a member of the group’s ceasefire committee and the ad-hoc joint action group. "We have been helping the government secure the release of kidnapped victims through the ad-hoc joint action group," he said.
In 2004, the government and the MILF forged an agreement that paved the way for rebel forces through the ad-hoc joint action group to help government hunt down terrorists and criminal elements in areas where the rebel group is actively operating.
The MILF, the country’s largest secessionist group, previously helped in rescuing many Filipino and foreign kidnapped victims in the restive southern Philippines region. It also provided the Philippine government with a list of names of suspected Jemaah Islamiya militants hiding in Mindanao.
And in July, for the second time in seven years, the MILF ordered its 12,000-strong mujahideen to fight kidnapping-for-ransom activities in Mindanao.
It also ordered rebel forces to arrest and take drastic actions against kidnappers in areas where the MILF is actively operating. The order was signed by Ghazali Jaafar, the MILF’s vice chairman for political affairs. - RSJ/GMANews.TV
"The MILF secured the release of Mr. Fajardo and handed him over to me. There was no ransom paid and the release was made possible through the help of the MILF," said Sakalahul, head of the provincial crisis management committee.
He said Fajardo, who was kidnapped December 10 from his home in Isabela City, was released on Mount Cubong near Lamitan City late Thursday, ending two weeks of captivity.
Sakalahul gave no further details about the rescue of the hostage, but said the MILF unit which rescued Fajardo was headed by Abas Salong. He said Fajardo was reunited with his family just in time for Christmas.
"We are happy this crisis is over," he said.
On Thursday night, Director Felizardo Serapio, chief of the Western Mindanao integrated police operations, said Fajardo was recovered at the vicinity of Mt. Cubong in Barangay Parang Basak. [See: Abducted Basilan college official released - police]
"The release was a result of police and military pressure and negotiation efforts of the crisis management committee," Serapio said.
Who is Abas Salong?
Eid Kabalu, a senior MILF leader, said Salong is a member of the group’s ceasefire committee and the ad-hoc joint action group. "We have been helping the government secure the release of kidnapped victims through the ad-hoc joint action group," he said.
In 2004, the government and the MILF forged an agreement that paved the way for rebel forces through the ad-hoc joint action group to help government hunt down terrorists and criminal elements in areas where the rebel group is actively operating.
The MILF, the country’s largest secessionist group, previously helped in rescuing many Filipino and foreign kidnapped victims in the restive southern Philippines region. It also provided the Philippine government with a list of names of suspected Jemaah Islamiya militants hiding in Mindanao.
And in July, for the second time in seven years, the MILF ordered its 12,000-strong mujahideen to fight kidnapping-for-ransom activities in Mindanao.
It also ordered rebel forces to arrest and take drastic actions against kidnappers in areas where the MILF is actively operating. The order was signed by Ghazali Jaafar, the MILF’s vice chairman for political affairs. - RSJ/GMANews.TV
