The Philippine Navy on Sunday rescued a Vietnamese sailor from the hands of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), an ISIS pledged militant group operating in the Philippines.
The Naval Forces identified the rescued victim as Do Trung Huiqe, a sailor of MV Royal 16. Huiqe was abducted on November 11, 2016, from the seawaters of Coco Island in Basilan Province.
The Philippine military attributed the safe rescue of Huique to the on-going intensified military offensives against the Abu Sayyaf. According to reports, the military offensives gave a wider opportunity for the officers to conduct the rescue.
Following his rescue, Huiqe was escorted by the military to the hospital for medical check-up. He will also undergo debriefing before being turned over to the Vietnam embassy in Manila.
Though Huiqe was rescued, two of his colleagues were beheaded last month (July 5) and their bodies were recovered from an island in Basilan. The deceased sailors were identified as Hoang Trung Thong and Hoang Va Hai and they were abducted along with Huiqe.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte earlier expressed his willingness to have dialogues with the Abu Sayyaf Group. But as the terror group continued to behead hostages the Filipino leader suspended all talks and sent 10,000 soldiers to finish them off.
On Monday (August 21), close to a hundred suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group raided the village of Tubigan in the municipality of Maluso in Basilan Province. The militants killed 9 villagers and burned several houses.
Those killed in the attack were Radzma Arakani, Baby Arakani, Radzma Hassan , Andok Haikin, Ryan Joplo, Ajid Aminullah, Marktan Jalad, Reynaldo Esparcia and Camina Dela Cruz.
