Manila: An emissary of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte says he is discussing with the Abu Sayyaf the possible release of two surviving hostages taken by the militant group from Samal Island in September 2015.
According to a report by the GMA News network, former Gloria Arroyo peace adviser Jesus Dureza is talking directly with Abu Sayyaf, which is holding Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad hostage, along with Marites Flor, a Filipina.
Abu Sayyaf has already executed two of their initial four hostages — Canadian John Ridsdel on April 25 and his compatriot Robert Hall on June 6. The terrorist group, notorious for kidnap-for-ransom activities in the Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi area, had demanded P300 million (Dh23.9 million) for each of the Western-origin victims.
Dureza is in Oslo, Norway as a representative of the incoming administration in peace talks with the leaders of the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
He is expected to formally assume the post of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process once the Duterte administration formally assumes authority on July 1.
While in Oslo, Dureza helped out in securing the safe release of the remaining two hostages of the Abu Sayyaf.
“We were able to speak with two Abu Sayyaf representatives,” he said adding that he had been asked by a close relative of Sekkingstad to appeal to the terrorist for their release.
“These families don’t have money, I know that,” GMA News quoted him as saying.
Dureza was personally close to one of the two Canadian hostages, John Ridsdel, a mining executive.
Meanwhile, a former law enforcement and counter terrorism consultant to the Philippine government said he has reason to believe that the group that took part in the decapitations were led by a certain Hatib Sawadjaan, a sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf.
The former official, who refused to be identified and is now based in the United States, said Sawadjaan and a certain Jardin Haluli and Muammar Askali, were arrested in 2015 on suspicion that they were planning to kidnap foreigners in Palawan.
“The reason why the police released these three was a puzzle to us,” he said.
Earlier, incoming national police chief Ronaldo dela Rosa said he is proposing that the whole island of Sulu be placed under Martial Law so that they can go after the Abu Sayyaf.
For more than two decades, Sulu has been a hotbed of kidnap for ransom activities.
