Female trader escapes from Abu Sayyaf captors

www.philstar.com ^ | 08/07/2003 | Roel Pareno

[freepatriot32]

ZAMBOANGA CITY — A Chinese-Filipino businesswoman kidnapped by suspected Abu Sayyaf members escaped after almost four months in captivity, the military said yesterday.

Marine products trader Gertrudes Tan, 50, eluded her captors in a coastal village in Maimbung, Sulu last Monday night, said Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko, chief of the Armed Forces’ Southern Command.

Kyamko said Tan drifted into the sea using a small plastic jug as float until fishermen found her at about 2:30 a.m. the following day.

The fishermen brought her to the Maimbung town proper where she took a passenger jeepney that brought her to the capital town of Jolo. There, elements of Task Force Comet and Marines manning a checkpoint helped her.

Tan, who was abducted while on her way to church on Siasi Island last April 13, showed signs of trauma when she stepped out of a Nomad plane that fetched her from Jolo. Kyamko escorted her.

Clad in a yellow blouse and black pants and wearing slippers, she wept upon seeing her family at the Edwin Andrews Air Force Base here.

The military brought her to Sulu Bishop Antonio Lampon before she was presented to the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade for debriefing.

Kyamko, however, said Tan’s debriefing had to be postponed because she was suffering from trauma and was getting "very hysterical."

Tan’s captors initially demanded a P5-million ransom.

Regional Army chief Col. Alexander Yapching did not say if any ransom was paid for Tan, but last week, a relative of hers was shot dead in Jolo after handing over P700,000 to the kidnappers.

The Abu Sayyaf is an extremist group that has been kidnapping Christians and foreigners in Mindanao for over a decade and holding them for ransom.

It has been blamed for a series of deadly raids and bombings in the south as well as the murders of two American hostages in the last two years.

Both Washington and Manila have linked the group to the al-Qaeda terror network of Osama bin Laden. — With wire reports

[Bigg Red]

...drifted into the sea using a small plastic jug as float until fishermen found her ...

Wow! That's one gutsy woman!

[rhombus]

...drifted into the sea using a small plastic jug as float until fishermen found her ...

Wow! That's one gutsy woman!

One gutsy 50 year old woman!!

[freepatriot32]

PING

[Lazamataz]

Female trader escapes from Abu Sayyaf captors

FREE TRADER ping.

 

 

 

 

Sorry. I won't do that again.

[Paradox]

That is an awesome story, tailor made for TV. I hope she sells her story for some great money, she would deserve every penny. Poor thing sounds like she will need some counceling for the rest of her life to get over the experience..

[dead]

I hope she can locate the place where she was held.

As Kurtz says, "Drop the bomb. Exterminate them all."

[katana]

I suppose she figured drowning is a better way to die than beheading, Abu Sayyaf's preferred execution method. G*d bless a very courageous lady.

[harpseal]

Sorry. I won't do that again.

Since when have I not appreciated a good line. I like this one particularly.

[Lazamataz]

:o)

It's just such a horrible pun... that I had to do it. :o)

[gridlock]

Note two things from the Religion of Peace-niks:

• They kidnapped this woman on the way to Church
• They shot the reletive bringing them the ransom money

What would it take to eradicate these terrorists from these islands?

[Greek]

No TAN, PING was never abducted

[aculeus]

A salute to a brave woman.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

There is EVIL and they are it!

[Mind-numbed Robot]

It's just such a horrible pun... that I had to do it.

Aren't all puns. They are called the lowest form of humor or near-humor. They normally invoke a groan. That said, yours did invoke a groan with an involuntarily grin accompanying it.