GRP-MILF AHJAG team lawyer Abdul Dataya turns-over kidnapped victims to Philippine Marines Maj.Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino at the International Monitoring Team Headquarters in Cotabato City in Maguindanao province. The four kidnapped victims - Thomas Wallraf, from Cologne, Germany and his wife, May Sharon and two others - Diego Daniel, their driver; and Consuelo San Juan, a family friend – have been handed by the Moro Islamic Liberations rebels to Malaysian truce observers and the Philippine military in Cotabato City in Maguindanao province on Friday, 01 June 2007. Also in the photos are Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Battalion commander Lt.Col.Dickson Hermoso, Police Region 12 Director, Chief Supt.Felizardo Serapio Jr.and Head of Mission International Monitoring Team Maj.Gen.Dato Ismail Bin Abbas. (Mindanao Examiner Photos/Mark Navales)
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is negotiating peace with Manila, rescued the four hours after they were seized while traveling in Pikit town on Thursday.
The four - Thomas Wallraf, from Cologne, Germany and his wife, May Sharon and two others - Diego Daniel, their driver; and Consuelo San Juan, a family friend – have been handed to Malaysian truce observers and the Philippine military in Cotabato City in Maguindanao province.
Marine Maj. Gen. Mohammad Dolorfino, chairman of the government Ad hoc Joint Action Group, said the four were on their to Manila. “The release of the four is the result of a good coordination between the MILF and the Philippine military,” he told the independent regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.
“The MILF is able to react immediately and rebel forces sealed off the area where the abductors are holding the four victims and recovered them safely,” he said.
Gunmen were forced to release the four to the MILF in the village of Balongis in Pikit town after rebel forces surrounded their hideout and threatened to kill the kidnappers.
The release of the hostages previously reported as all Caucasians came hours after the rebel group, backed by security forces, mounted a massive rescue operation.
The four were heading to North Cotabato from Davao City onboard a van when gunmen flagged down their vehicle. The MILF has in the past helped the government rescue kidnapped foreigners and Filipinos in Mindanao.
The abductions coincided with the start of the ten-day joint amphibious war games between the Philippines and the United States. But security officials said it was not connected with the ongoing war games off the southern region. (Juley Reyes and Mark Navales)
COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 01 June) – Philippine Muslim rebels handed over Friday a rescued German national and three other Filipinos kidnapped by bandits in the southern province of North Cotabato, security officials said.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is negotiating peace with Manila, rescued the four hours after they were seized while traveling in Pikit town on Thursday.
The four - Thomas Wallraf, from Cologne, Germany and his wife, May Sharon and two others - Diego Daniel, their driver; and Consuelo San Juan, a family friend – have been handed to Malaysian truce observers and the Philippine military in Cotabato City in Maguindanao province.
Marine Maj. Gen. Mohammad Dolorfino, chairman of the government Ad hoc Joint Action Group, said the four were on their to Manila. “The release of the four is the result of a good coordination between the MILF and the Philippine military,” he told the independent regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.
“The MILF is able to react immediately and rebel forces sealed off the area where the abductors are holding the four victims and recovered them safely,” he said.
Gunmen were forced to release the four to the MILF in the village of Balongis in Pikit town after rebel forces surrounded their hideout and threatened to kill the kidnappers.
The release of the hostages previously reported as all Caucasians came hours after the rebel group, backed by security forces, mounted a massive rescue operation.
The four were heading to North Cotabato from Davao City onboard a van when gunmen flagged down their vehicle. The MILF has in the past helped the government rescue kidnapped foreigners and Filipinos in Mindanao.
The abductions coincided with the start of the ten-day joint amphibious war games between the Philippines and the United States. But security officials said it was not connected with the ongoing war games off the southern region. (Juley Reyes and Mark Navales)
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