Filipina abducted alongside beheaded Canadians released

By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines (AA) - The Philippines’ military confirmed Friday that Daesh-affiliated militants have released a Filipina who was kidnapped last year alongside two Canadians who were beheaded in past weeks.

The police director of the southern island province of Sulu said in a statement that Abu Sayyaf members brought Maritess Flor to the house of Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan in provincial capital Jolo early Friday morning.

Senior Supt. Wilfredo Cayat, however, did not provide further details.

Flor had been abducted from Samal island alongside Canadians Robert Hall and John Ridsdel and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad last September, before they were brought to Sulu.

On June 13, the Abu Sayyaf beheaded Hall after a deadline set by the group for the delivery of a 600 million peso ($13 million) ransom was missed.

His beheading followed that of Ridsdel after a 300 million peso ransom also failed to be paid.

Since 1991, the Abu Sayyaf group - armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles - has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions in a self-determined fight for an independent province in the Philippines.

It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.