President Rodrigo Duterte gave full praise to his Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, and MNLF Nur Misuari, for securing the release of Abu Sayyaf's Norwegian hostage, Kjartan Sekkingstad. Duterte also gave credit to former Sulu Governor Sakur Tan.
"I'm very happy to be alive and free. It's a beautiful feeling," Sekkingstad said, after expressing his "heartfelt thank you" to those responsible for his release.
According to Duterte, Misuari had negotiated with Abu Sayyaf for the release, after armed men abducted Sekkingstad, together with Canadians Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, and Filipina Marites Flor, in August last year at the Ocean View Samal Resort in Samal, Davao del Norte. Other reports say the kidnapping occured September also last year.
Ridsdel and Hall were beheaded in April and June, respectively. Flor was released also in June, a few weeks after Hall's execution.
The President said that he had simply been "directing" the three -- Misuari, Dureza and Tan -- with regard to going about the job, and had invested in them "the full authority to negotiate" and ensure that nothing like it happened again.
According to Dureza, they took Sekkingstad into custody at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, recovering him from Misuari's camp. In turn, Misuari received Sekkingstad from his captors on Saturday.
Dureza added that they also received three abducted Indonesians, who were then turned over to representative of the Indonesian government in Jolo on Sunday. They were already on their way to Jakarta.
"Is it safe in Mindanao? I cannot tell you now, but we are trying our very best to put order in this country," Duterte told the media. "We would need time to put everything in order."
"Terrorism is everywhere. New York just blew up. So wala tayong (we have no)... there is no escaping terrorism. That is the next great battle of the century, terrorism and civilization," he added. The President was referring to the "intentional" explosion that injured 29 people in New York's Chelsea district at the weekend.
Source: Interaksyon
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