MILF frees 2 Marines abducted in Basilan

Two Marines were freed by their Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) captors in the southern province of Basilan after midnight on Friday, a spokesman for the Philippine Navy said.

Corporals Jesse Duatin and Bernie Alcabasa were brought to the 1st Marine Brigade headquarters in Isabela City at around 12:20 a.m. by go betweens, said Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo.

No concessions were made for the release that ended two days of captivity.

The demand of MILF commander Long Masud to free his nephew, who was arrested over his alleged involvement in the beheading of 10 Marines in Basilan in July 2007 was not met, Arevalo said.

The suspect's mother, Haja Masud, "negotiated" for the release of the two Marines, the Navy spokesman said in a phone interview.

"The mother acted as a go-between. There was no ransom paid. We do not negotiate for ransom. We also did not agree to any concessions," Arevalo said.

Eid Kabalu, the MILF's civil military affairs chief, said they stood behind Masud even after the incident."Apparently, he [Masud] coordinated with authorities after his nephew disappeared, but he got nothing. That triggered the decision to seize the two Marine soldiers," he said.

Reacting to the military's announcement that it will file a complaint before the joint ceasefire committees because of the kidnapping, Kabalu said they welcomed the complaint.But he reminded the military that it was the MILF that was first to file a complaint, because of the arrest of Masud's nephew, who is also an MILF member.

"His arrest was not covered by arrest warrant. In fact, he was not among those who ambushed a Marine convoy in Albarka on July 10 last year, which led to the killing of 14 soldiers," Kabalu said.

Duatin and Alcabasa were abducted last Tuesday in Al-Barkah town after they were made to believe that Commander Long Masud was going to surrender.

Arevalo said the two were airlifted to the Western Mindanao Command(Westmincom) headquarters in Zamboanga City for check-up and debriefing at around 7 a.m. Friday.
"They are doing well. Hindi naman sila sinaktan [They were not hurt]," the spokesman said.
Despite the release, Arevalo said the military would pursue its planned complaint before the joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) against the MILF.

"The Marine Corps will pursue the complaint because the crime has already been committed," Arevalo said.(Jeoffrey Maitem; INQ.net)