ASG frees kidnap victim in Sulu, Duterte warns day of reckoning

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DAVAO CITY — Kidnap victim Marites Flor was finally released in Sulu by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). This as President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Friday warned the ASG against continuing its kidnapping activities, saying the day of reckoning is coming.

Duterte’s statement was issued after receiving the kidnap victim from incoming Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza during the turnover of command at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) on Friday afternoon.

Dureza turned over the lone Filipino woman abducted months ago by the ASG along with three other foreign nationals from the high-end marina resort in the Island Garden City of Samal on September 21, 2015.

Dureza and Flor arrived at city police office at 2:22 p.m from Sulu where the victim was freed by the ASG after being held for nine months.

Duterte thanked Dureza and Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan for their help in the negotiations with the ASG.

Marites’ mother Flordeliza was grateful that her daughter had been released. She also said she was sorry about Canadian Robert Hall, her daughter’s partner who was beheaded last June 13. Another Canadian national, John Ridsdel, was beheaded last April.

Meanwhile, Norwegian national Kjartan Sekkingstad still remain captive by the ASG.

Dureza said they did not have any information yet on the fate of Sekkingstad but there are efforts to save him.

“No word for him yet. We only got Flor,” Dureza said.

Flor was released on Thursday night by the ASG under Mujer Yadah and was turned over to Gov. Tan early Friday.

Word has it that a P20-million ransom was paid for Flor’s release.

But Dureza said there was no ransom paid, adding that some of their long-time friends helped secure her release.

He said they are exerting the same efforts for Sekkingstad’s release.

Dureza recalled that when they were in Oslo, he had an audience with Foreign Minister Borge Brende of Norway and established a phonepatch between him and Duterte during which they mentioned efforts to recover Sekkingstad.

  • ASG frees kidnap victim in Sulu, Duterte warns day of reckoning

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