World | Philippines
Abu Sayyaf militants release Philippine journalists
Islamic militants released two Philippine journalists and their guide after holding them for more than a week on a remote southern island, police and the journalists' employer said on Wednesday.
- Agencies
- Published: 22:43 June 17, 2008
Manila: Islamic militants released two Philippine journalists and their guide after holding them for more than a week on a remote southern island, police and the journalists' employer said on Wednesday.
Those released by the Abu Sayyaf group were Ces Drilon - one of the country's best known television journalists - cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion and a professor, Octavio Dinampo, who was acting as their guide when they were abducted on June 8.
Another cameraman, Angelo Valderama, who was kidnapped with the group, was released last week.
"Ces, Jimmy, and Angelo are finally all free," ABS-CBN, the Philippines' largest TV network, said in a statement. "We cannot wait to bring them home."
Drilon, Encarnacion and Dinampo were released before midnight on Tuesday on Jolo, an island around 600 miles (950 km) south of Manila.
ABS-CBN did not mention a ransom.
The Abu Sayyaf, which is infamous for beheading some of its victims, had demanded a 15 million pesos ($338,000) ransom.
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