Troops rescue Briton, wife in Sulu

November 25, 2019

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Troops have rescued the British businessman and his Filipino wife following series of battles against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, a top military official announced Monday.

Maj. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said Allan Arthur Hyrons, 70, and his wife, Wilma, were rescued around 8 a.m. Monday in Mount Piahan, Parang, Sulu.

The Hyrons couple were abducted on October 4 by six gunmen from the family-owned resort in Barangay Alindahaw, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur.

Vinluan said the couple was rescued following clashes since Friday that constricted the movement of the Abu Sayyaf.

One of the slain Abu Sayyaf members was the group's liaison officer with the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and a mid-level leader. 

“The abductors were driven to designated constriction area through the collective efforts of operationally controlled units of 11th ID (Infantry Division) as the concurrent integrator of AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) operations in Sulu,” Vinluan said.

Vinluan said the main group of the Abu Sayyaf were forced to hide the Hyrons couple with minimum number of guards to avoid detection.

“They were unaware that we are monitoring and have anticipated their actions,” Vinluan said.

He said the troops were able to close in on the Abu Sayyaf and engaged them in a firefight that resulted in the rescue Monday of the Hyrons couple. DMS