Two RI sailors come home

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two Indonesian seamen who were rescued after being kept captive for two and a half months by rebels in the southern Philippines returned home safely on Saturday.

On arrival from Manila, Yamin Labuso, 26, and Erikson Hutagaol, 23, were immediately taken from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be reunited with their families.

The reunification ceremony was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hasan Wirayuda.

Yamin, Erikson and another Indonesian sailor, Ahmad Resmiyadi, who remains in captivity, were abducted late in March after their Malaysian-registered tugboat was attacked off Malaysia's Sabah state by a group calling itself Jamiat al-Islamiah of Southern Mindanao.

The group is allegedly affiliated with the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

The two sailors were rescued on June 12 by Philippines elite forces during a raid on a rebel hideout in the southern island of Jolo. The third hostage was not freed because he was being kept at a separate location.

Speaking to reporters briefly as they recounted the ordeal, the two said that the abductors, wearing masks, had moved them from one place to another, but had not harmed them at all.

"We were never beaten or treated harshly," Yamin said, but added that they sometimes only ate one meal every two days.

Asked about the condition of Ahmad, he said that they last saw him 15 days before the rescue and he was in good condition. Since then, they had not been in contact with him.

Hasan welcomed the return of the two sailors, but quickly added that the government was concerned for the remaining sailor.

He said the government would continue to cooperate with Philippines authorities to seek Ahmad's release.

"But the release effort has not been as smooth as had been expected," he said during the ceremony, which was also attended by Ahmad's parents.

He added that from the various contacts that had been made, Ahmad was in good condition. (004)