Kidnapped Indonesian fisherman rescued
Published on: Thursday, January 17, 2019
By: Zam Yusa
KOTA KINABALU: The Indonesian fisherman kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants from waters off Semporna last September and recorded in a video clip crying for help was rescued on Tuesday.
Samsul Sangunim and compatriot Usman Yusof were kidnapped from their fishing boat near Pulau Gaya on Sept 11.
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“After four months in captivity, the victim was rescued in Sulu, southern Philippines, yesterday (Tuesday),” Indonesia’s Consul-General in Sabah, Krishna Djelani, told Daily Express on Wednesday.
“Samsul was rescued through coordinated efforts by former Sulu Governor and the Philippine Army. He was brought to a house in Poblacion, Sulu at 4.30pm yesterday (Tuesday).
“Today (Wednesday) Samsul was brought to the headquarters of the Philippine Army’s Western Mindanao Command for debriefing and further medical check-up.”
When asked whether ransom had been paid, Krishna said he “did not have any information on that.”
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Samsul’s release came a day after the Daily Express reported that the Abu Sayyaf had reduced their ransom demand for him.
The kidnappers previously asked for RM4 million for both Samsul and Usman, but later demanded 20 million pesos or RM1.6 million for Samsul alone after Usman escaped from their abductors in Sulu last December.
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Chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, Professor Rommel Banlaoi, said in that report the kidnappers had threatened to behead Samsul if their lowered ransom demand was not met.
“On Dec 13 last year, the captain of the Malaysian fishing boat [involved in the case] received a video footage of Samsul via the Internet from the ASG [Abu Sayyaf group] threatening to behead him if a ransom demand of P20m is not completely met.
“This info is from a Philippine intelligence source,” Rommel had said in a message to Daily Express.
In December last year, three other fishermen - a Malaysian and Indonesian - were kidnapped from their fishing boat in the waters off Kinabatangan. No ransom demand has reportedly been made for them.
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