Swiss-Filipino Carl Rieth freed by kidnappers
By Mario J. Mallari 06/17/2010 Security forces said they rescued an elderly Swiss national but a Filipino citizen who was kidnapped over two months ago by suspected Islamist militants in a lawless part of the southern Philippines. Tribune sources yesterday said that his kidnappers had already freed him, after a “negotiated” ransom demand was met. This was, however, denied by the police-military contingent. Carl Rieth, 72, was abandoned in a coastal village outside the southern port city of Zamboanga by his captors, who fled after seeing police and army troops who rushed to the area following a tip from an inform-ant, officials said. “He was rescued before dawn at 3 a.m. yesterday,” regional military chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino told AFP. “Follow up operations (against the kidnappers) are ongoing.” Rear Adm. Alexander Pama, commander of the military’s Task Force Trillium, said Rieth was safely rescued by elements of the Task Force Charlie along the shoreline of Barangay Labuan in Zamboanga City. Pama added that Rieth was being moved by his captors when the government forces caught up with the group. “They (Reith captors) were cornered and they left him,” Pama said. There was no firefight during the rescue operation. Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100617hed6.html |
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