$97,750 was paid to free Oz hostage!
25 March 2013 7:19 AM IST
Islamic militants in the southern Philippines were paid USD 97,750 to release Warren Rodwell, a negotiator said after the Australian waded to freedom following 15 months in captivity.
Al Rashid Sakalahul, vice governor of the strife-torn island province of Basilan, said late Saturday he had negotiated Rodwell’s freedom with a feared leader of an extremist group known for beheading his victims.
The weak and emaciated 54-year-old former soldier was released on Saturday off Pagadian, a port city on Mindanao island, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of where he was kidnapped on 5 December, 2011.
Police quoted him as saying he was left in a boat by his captors in waters between Basilan and Pagadian and told to row to safety. But the tide was out and Rodwell had to wade through the mud to reach safety on shore.
Wharf supervisor Nathaniel Campos said he spotted the soaked and mud-splattered Australian as he waded ashore in darkness, and asked him if he was a tourist. ‘No, I'm not a tourist. I am a kidnap victim. Please help me!’ Rodwell reportedly replied.
The ransom was substantially less than the 2 million the kidnappers, members of the Abu Sayyaf militant group, initially demanded after they broke into the house Rodwell shared with his Filipina wife in the town of Ipil. Sakalahul said he succeeded in getting them to reduce the ransom to four million pesos.‘It was really a tough negotiation but we managed to secure the release,’ he said.
Al Rashid Sakalahul, vice governor of the strife-torn island province of Basilan, said late Saturday he had negotiated Rodwell’s freedom with a feared leader of an extremist group known for beheading his victims.
The weak and emaciated 54-year-old former soldier was released on Saturday off Pagadian, a port city on Mindanao island, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of where he was kidnapped on 5 December, 2011.
Police quoted him as saying he was left in a boat by his captors in waters between Basilan and Pagadian and told to row to safety. But the tide was out and Rodwell had to wade through the mud to reach safety on shore.
Wharf supervisor Nathaniel Campos said he spotted the soaked and mud-splattered Australian as he waded ashore in darkness, and asked him if he was a tourist. ‘No, I'm not a tourist. I am a kidnap victim. Please help me!’ Rodwell reportedly replied.
The ransom was substantially less than the 2 million the kidnappers, members of the Abu Sayyaf militant group, initially demanded after they broke into the house Rodwell shared with his Filipina wife in the town of Ipil. Sakalahul said he succeeded in getting them to reduce the ransom to four million pesos.‘It was really a tough negotiation but we managed to secure the release,’ he said.
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