ZAMBOANGA CITY–Authorities have rescued the ex-wife and daughter of former mayor seized by the Abu Sayyaf bandits in the province of Sulu, officials said Thursday.
Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, said the victims, Addang Tulawie 57, and her daughter, Edelyn, 27, were rescued around 6 p.m. Wednesday in boundary of Barangays Sinumaan and Kagay, Talipao.
Addang is the ex-wife while Edelyn is the daughter of former Talipao Mayor Tambrin Tulawie, whose son Nebukadnezar is the town’s incumbent mayor.
Besana said the victims’ rescue came as the Abu Sayyaf bandits have abandoned them due to mounting pressure of pursuit operations by joint military, police and Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT).
“While scouring the area, the operating troops were able to rescue the two hostages in the forested area (of Sinumaan and Kagay),” he said.
He said they were immediately brought to the residence of former Talipao Mayor Tambrin Tulawie.
Besana said the troops later escorted the victims to Camp General Teodulfo Bautista Hospital in Jolo, Sulu for medical check-up and trauma debriefing.
Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, has recognized the efforts of the Talipao municipal government headed by Mayor (Nebukadnezar) Tulawie and “all members of the community who did their best to help in the rescue of Edelyn and Addang.”
“It is the peoples’ participation and their resolve against the kidnappers that forced the bandits to abandon the victims in the area where they kept them for several hours,” Pabayo said.
“It also signals that the people no longer tolerate the banditry perpetrated by the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) in their community,” he added.
The Abu Sayyaf bandits seized the victims from their residence around 2:20 a.m. Wednesday in the boundary of Barangays Kandaga and Kuha, Talipao.
Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, Westmincom chief, has ordered the intensification of intelligence monitoring to locate the perpetrators for them to face the full force of the law.
“We will run after them! We are confident that with the Local Chief Executives’ and the peoples’ support in the municipalities of Sulu, we will finally rid the province of the ASG that has been spreading turmoil in the area,” Dela Vega added.
He said that pursuit operation will continue to neutralize the fleeing bandits.
The Abu Sayyaf bandits are still holding captives nine people including five foreigners–three Indonesians, one Vietnamese and one Dutch–and four Filipinos. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr with reports from Ely E. Dumaboc/PNA)
