Freed Abu Sayyaf kidnap victim Esperencita Hupida is greeted by Fr. Angel Calvo, president of the Peace Advocates of Zamboanga (PAZ) and head of the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFL), after a mass at a Marine chapel inside the Naval Forces South headquarters in Zamboanga City. HGOne of the two humanitarian workers who had been kidnapped one and a half month ago, apparently by Abu Sayyaf kidnap for ransom group, was released on Thursday in a remote area in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.
The aid worker, Esperencita Hupida, who worked as a program coordinator of the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFI), was released by her captors at around 2:15 a.m. after her family paid an undisclosed amount in ransom.
Initially, her captors had reportedly demanded P5 million for her release and threatened to cut her fingers if the ransom demand would not be paid before the end of this month.
"I was so afraid when they threatened to cut my fingers. The kidnappers are teenagers, but they treated me well," Hupida told reporters in an interview at the Naval Forces South headquarters chapel.
Wearing an orange t-shirt, Hupida together with family, friends and fellow peace advocates prayed upon arrival at a chapel in the Naval Forces South headquarters.
Father Angel Calvo, head of the NFI and president of the Peace Advocate Zamboanga (PAZ), and other Catholic priests led the prayer for Hupida's release.
"We're very happy and very glad...at least one of the victims has been released," Fr. Calvo told reporters in an interview after the mass.
"We would like to mention especially the marine brigade who has been very very helpful eversince from the beginning as part of the crisis management committee, as well as the vice governor of Basilan," he said.
The military said Hupida was released by her captors in Al Barka town to Vice Governor Al-Rasheed Sakalahul who turned to Col. Romeo Valdez of the 1st Marine Brigade.
"It was Vice Governor Sakalahul who turned over her to the brigade. After the turnover, she was given a medical attention before she was taken here (Zamboanga City)," said Maj. Eugene Batara Jr., Western Mindanao Command spokesman.
Batara added that members of the Crisis Management Committee in coordination with Sakalahul worked for the release of Hupida. He tagged Nur Hassan, an Abu Sayyaf group leader, as behind the kidnapping.
The kidnappers are still holding Millet Mendoza, a Manila-based freelance community development worker and former executive director of Tabang Mindanao, a non-government organization (NGO).
"Initial information that we received following the release of Hupida, the remaining hostage (Mendoza) was reportedly separated (taken to other area) by their kidnappers," Batara said.
Hupida and Mendoza were seized in the afternoon of September 15 in the village of Cabangalan, Ungkaya Pukan town. They were implementing humanitarian projects in Tipo-Tipo town when kidnapped. HG
The aid worker, Esperencita Hupida, who worked as a program coordinator of the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFI), was released by her captors at around 2:15 a.m. after her family paid an undisclosed amount in ransom.
Initially, her captors had reportedly demanded P5 million for her release and threatened to cut her fingers if the ransom demand would not be paid before the end of this month.
"I was so afraid when they threatened to cut my fingers. The kidnappers are teenagers, but they treated me well," Hupida told reporters in an interview at the Naval Forces South headquarters chapel.
Wearing an orange t-shirt, Hupida together with family, friends and fellow peace advocates prayed upon arrival at a chapel in the Naval Forces South headquarters.
Father Angel Calvo, head of the NFI and president of the Peace Advocate Zamboanga (PAZ), and other Catholic priests led the prayer for Hupida's release.
"We're very happy and very glad...at least one of the victims has been released," Fr. Calvo told reporters in an interview after the mass.
"We would like to mention especially the marine brigade who has been very very helpful eversince from the beginning as part of the crisis management committee, as well as the vice governor of Basilan," he said.
The military said Hupida was released by her captors in Al Barka town to Vice Governor Al-Rasheed Sakalahul who turned to Col. Romeo Valdez of the 1st Marine Brigade.
"It was Vice Governor Sakalahul who turned over her to the brigade. After the turnover, she was given a medical attention before she was taken here (Zamboanga City)," said Maj. Eugene Batara Jr., Western Mindanao Command spokesman.
Batara added that members of the Crisis Management Committee in coordination with Sakalahul worked for the release of Hupida. He tagged Nur Hassan, an Abu Sayyaf group leader, as behind the kidnapping.
The kidnappers are still holding Millet Mendoza, a Manila-based freelance community development worker and former executive director of Tabang Mindanao, a non-government organization (NGO).
"Initial information that we received following the release of Hupida, the remaining hostage (Mendoza) was reportedly separated (taken to other area) by their kidnappers," Batara said.
Hupida and Mendoza were seized in the afternoon of September 15 in the village of Cabangalan, Ungkaya Pukan town. They were implementing humanitarian projects in Tipo-Tipo town when kidnapped. HG
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