DAVAO CITY (April 7) — Two Indonesian swam their way to freedom, but one drowned, another Malaysian hostage was rescued while Philippine Marines launched the rescue operations against Abu Sayyaf bandits at around 5:45 p.m. Friday in Simisa Island, Banguingui, Sulu.
But the rescue operations caused the lives of three government forces. Three bandits were also killed during the firefight.
Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo Jr., Joint Task Force Sulu commander, identified the rescued victims as Heri Ardiansyah, 19 and his companion identified as Hariadin tried to swim across the channel towards Banglao Island while the Marine forces and ASG bandits under Najir Arik engaged in a firefight around 5:45 p.m. Friday in Simisa Island, Banguingui, Sulu.
Pabayo identified the Malaysian hostage as Jari Bin Abudullah, was shot by the militants when the marines to rescue him in a gunbattle.
The Malaysian was airlifted to Zamboanga city, where he was in critical condition in a hospital, military officials said.
Government forces surrounded Simusa island, where a small community thrives near mangroves , to hunt down the remaining Abu Sayyaf gunmen.
The victims were rescued by the troops from the Philippine Marine Ready Force-Sulu (PMRF-S).
Pabayo said the troops recovered high-powered firearms after the 10-minute firefight.
Ardiansyah, Hariadin withAbdullah, were abducted while they were fishing on December 6, 2018 at Pegasus Reef Kinabatangan, Malaysia and brought to Suku via a speedboat.
Pabayo said Abdullah managed to escape, although wounded as “he was shot by his captors before he was secured by the troops.”
The firefight resulted to the death of four Abu Sayyaf militants .-NewsLine.ph
