ZAMBOANGA CITY: Abu Sayyaf militants freed yesterday three teachers kidnapped in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines after four months in captivity.
The trio — Quizon Freires, 28; Janette Delos Reyes, 29; and Rafael Mayonado, 24 — were kidnapped at sea on Jan. 23 while returning by boat from a break on Sacol Island in Zamboanga City.
They were brought to Basilan province where the kidnappers originally demanded a P6 million ransom for their release.
Radio station DXRZ in Zamboanga City reported that the hostages were released to a private negotiator Nur Hassan Jamiri in the town of Mohamad Ajul.
The families of the hostages have previously approached the Moro Islamic Liberation Front after accusing the government of failing to help them secure the freedom of the trio.
The release of the hostages came a week after the militants beheaded a kidnapped farm owner Doroteo Gonzalez, 61, after his family failed to pay P25 million ransom demand.
Police said separate factions of the Abu Sayyaf are also holding a lending firm collector, Leah Patris, a Sri Lankan peace activist, Umar Jaleel, and an Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni who was seized in January in Sulu province.
