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Abu Sayyaf gunmen freed its unharmed captive mayor in a remote village in Sulu of southern Philippines Tuesday morning, after holding her six months in the jungle, according to authorities.
There was no immediate report if ransom was paid in exchange for the release of kidnap victim Mayor Gemma Adana, who was escorted by local officials at the house of Sulu vice Gov. Sakur Tan.
Adana, mayor of Naga town in Zamboanga Sibugay province, was abducted on April 7 inside her house in the said place and slipped her to Sulu as captive of the Abu Sayyaf group.
The Abu Sayyaf demanded 5-million pesos (about 109,010 U.S. dollars) ransom in exchange for her freedom.
Navy Captain Roy Vincent Trinidad, deputy chief of Joint Task Force Zambasulta, said Adana was released at about 5 a.m. in a village of Indanan town.
She was later recovered by village and town leaders who subsequently brought her to the house of Tan in Barangay Asturias, Jolo and provided with relief attention.
Trinidad said the victim was handed over to the Joint Task Group Sulu under Brig. General Alan Arrojado and was taken to Trauma Hospital in Camp Teodulfo Bautista for medical check-up and debriefing.
The victim will be transferred to the city aboard a passenger fast craft where she would be handed over to the commander of Joint Task Force Zambasulta to be reunited with her relatives.
Trinidad could not confirmed nor deny if ransom was paid for the release of Adana. "What we believed there have been series of military operations against the Abu Sayyaf for the recovery of all the hostages and we believed the Abu Sayyaf were pressured to free their captive," Trinidad said.
