Three kidnapped construction workers escape from Abu Sayyaf

August 11, 2017

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Government troops recovered three of the four construction workers who escaped from the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu, a top military official announced Friday.

Safely recovered by joint military and police team were Jason Vailoces, Joel Adanza, and Filemon Guerrero Jr., all residents of Barangay Tumaga, this city.

The escape came a day the Abu Sayyaf threatened to behead them once a P3 million ransom is not paid.

The Abu Sayyaf set August 10, as the deadline for the ransom and even posted photos of the workers in social media.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said the four were found 9 a.m. in Barangay Kagay, Talipao.

Sobejana said the barangay captain of Kagay reported to the authorities the presence of the three victims in the village.

He said the three Zamboangueño construction workers were taken to the provincial police headquarters for documentation.

Sobejana said the three kidnap victims took the opportunity to escape around 4 p.m. Thursday while their Abu Sayyaf captors were praying.

“They ran for their lives until they reached a community in Barangay Kagay (Talipao) early this morning where the locals helped them and turned them over to the authorities,” Sobejana said.

They were among five construction workers the Abu Sayyaf seized on July 15 from their barracks at the provincial sports complex in Barangay Bangkal, Patikul, Sulu.

One of the five identified as Jenly Miranda escaped hours after they were seized.

Edmundo Ramos, one of the construction workers, is still in captivity in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Talipao. DMS