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| Kidnapped Australian Is Freed in Southern Philippines | Kidnapped Australian Is Freed in Southern Philippines |
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| MANILA — An emaciated 54-year-old Australian man held for 15 months by a kidnap-for-ransom group in the southern Philippines was released on Saturday, officials said. | MANILA — An emaciated 54-year-old Australian man held for 15 months by a kidnap-for-ransom group in the southern Philippines was released on Saturday, officials said. |
| “He was fine, but he looked very thin,” said Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, a military spokesman in the southern Philippines. | “He was fine, but he looked very thin,” said Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, a military spokesman in the southern Philippines. |
| The man, Warren Richard Rodwell, was abducted in December 2011 and was released at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday in the coastal town of Pagadian. He was evacuated by helicopter to a nearby military base. | The man, Warren Richard Rodwell, was abducted in December 2011 and was released at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday in the coastal town of Pagadian. He was evacuated by helicopter to a nearby military base. |
| “This is great news for Mr. Rodwell and his family,” the Foreign Minister Bob Carr of Australia said in a statement Saturday. “The Rodwell family has shown enormous courage throughout this ordeal.” | “This is great news for Mr. Rodwell and his family,” the Foreign Minister Bob Carr of Australia said in a statement Saturday. “The Rodwell family has shown enormous courage throughout this ordeal.” |
| Mr. Rodwell, a former soldier who worked as a teacher and travel writer, moved to the southern Philippines in 2011 to join his Filipino wife in her native town of Ipil in the restive region. | Mr. Rodwell, a former soldier who worked as a teacher and travel writer, moved to the southern Philippines in 2011 to join his Filipino wife in her native town of Ipil in the restive region. |
| In December 2011, gunmen riding motorcycles burst into his home, abducted him and took him by speedboat to nearby islands where kidnap-for-ransom gangs operate. The abductors identified themselves as members of the Islamic militant organization Abu Sayyaf, which in previous years was linked to Al Qaeda. | In December 2011, gunmen riding motorcycles burst into his home, abducted him and took him by speedboat to nearby islands where kidnap-for-ransom gangs operate. The abductors identified themselves as members of the Islamic militant organization Abu Sayyaf, which in previous years was linked to Al Qaeda. |
| Mr. Rodwell was featured in several proof-of-life videos released by his abductors, including one in which a $2 million ransom was demanded. The Philippine and Australian governments have policies of not paying ransom to kidnappers, though Abu Sayyaf has repeatedly obtained large ransom payments in return for releasing hostages. | |
| “I have no idea if ransom was paid,” Colonel Gregorio said by telephone Saturday afternoon. | “I have no idea if ransom was paid,” Colonel Gregorio said by telephone Saturday afternoon. |
| Mr. Carr told the Australian network ABC on Saturday that no ransom had been paid by his government, but he declined to say that none had been paid by other parties. | Mr. Carr told the Australian network ABC on Saturday that no ransom had been paid by his government, but he declined to say that none had been paid by other parties. |
| “The Australian government never pays ransoms,” he said. “To do so would leave Australians exposed in all parts of the world to kidnappers who’d be motivated by a desire to get money and to get it fast from the Australian government.” | “The Australian government never pays ransoms,” he said. “To do so would leave Australians exposed in all parts of the world to kidnappers who’d be motivated by a desire to get money and to get it fast from the Australian government.” |
| “But I won’t comment on arrangements that may have been made by Mr. Rodwell’s family and Abu Sayyaf, the kidnappers, made through the Philippines anti-kidnapping unit and their police force,” he said. | “But I won’t comment on arrangements that may have been made by Mr. Rodwell’s family and Abu Sayyaf, the kidnappers, made through the Philippines anti-kidnapping unit and their police force,” he said. |
| Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia thanked the Philippine government during a news conference Saturday afternoon. | Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia thanked the Philippine government during a news conference Saturday afternoon. |
| “I do want to pay tribute to the government of the Philippines and their agencies and personnel who worked so hard to secure Mr. Rodwell’s release, including particularly those who combat kidnapping in the Philippines for the Philippines government. They have done some remarkable work,” she said. | “I do want to pay tribute to the government of the Philippines and their agencies and personnel who worked so hard to secure Mr. Rodwell’s release, including particularly those who combat kidnapping in the Philippines for the Philippines government. They have done some remarkable work,” she said. |
| A spokesman for President Benigno S. Aquino III said that the Philippine government was working to reunite Mr. Rodwell with his family as quickly as possible. | A spokesman for President Benigno S. Aquino III said that the Philippine government was working to reunite Mr. Rodwell with his family as quickly as possible. |
| “Our primary concern was to ascertain that Mr. Rodwell would receive immediate medical attention,” said a deputy presidential spokeswoman, Abigail Valte. “Presently, his medical condition is being assessed, and as soon as the doctors give clearance, we hope that he will be reunited with his family.” | “Our primary concern was to ascertain that Mr. Rodwell would receive immediate medical attention,” said a deputy presidential spokeswoman, Abigail Valte. “Presently, his medical condition is being assessed, and as soon as the doctors give clearance, we hope that he will be reunited with his family.” |
| Mr. Rodwell is one of several foreigners who have been kidnapped in the southern Philippines, some of whom remain missing. Abu Sayyaf, the group that military officials say abducted him, is a loosely knit organization of Islamic extremists who have been responsible for some of the most violent acts in the area in the last decade, including kidnappings, beheadings and bombings. | Mr. Rodwell is one of several foreigners who have been kidnapped in the southern Philippines, some of whom remain missing. Abu Sayyaf, the group that military officials say abducted him, is a loosely knit organization of Islamic extremists who have been responsible for some of the most violent acts in the area in the last decade, including kidnappings, beheadings and bombings. |
| In a recent report, the regional corporate risk mitigation firm Pacific Strategies and Assessments, based in Manila, said Abu Sayyaf had lost some support from regional and international militant organizations because of its low level of “Islamic awareness.” | |
| “By most accounts, the Abu Sayyaf has abandoned its Islamist terror credentials and public facade of ideology in favor of its traditional and more lucrative criminal activities, such as kidnapping and extortion,” the firm’s report stated. | “By most accounts, the Abu Sayyaf has abandoned its Islamist terror credentials and public facade of ideology in favor of its traditional and more lucrative criminal activities, such as kidnapping and extortion,” the firm’s report stated. |
| Since 2002, the United States has maintained about 500 Special Forces troops on a rotational basis in the southern Philippines to help the country’s military fight Islamic extremism. In 2012, the Philippines brokered a peace deal with the largest Muslim separatist group in the region, but Abu Sayyaf was not included in the agreement and the group continues to carry out attacks. | Since 2002, the United States has maintained about 500 Special Forces troops on a rotational basis in the southern Philippines to help the country’s military fight Islamic extremism. In 2012, the Philippines brokered a peace deal with the largest Muslim separatist group in the region, but Abu Sayyaf was not included in the agreement and the group continues to carry out attacks. |
| Many governments discourage their citizens from visiting the southern Philippines, and Australia uses some of the strongest language in its warnings. | |
| “We continue to see reports indicating that militants based in the southern Philippines are planning to kidnap Westerners,” states the Australian government’s current travel advisory on the Philippines. “If you are in central or western Mindanao, you are strongly advised to leave immediately.” | “We continue to see reports indicating that militants based in the southern Philippines are planning to kidnap Westerners,” states the Australian government’s current travel advisory on the Philippines. “If you are in central or western Mindanao, you are strongly advised to leave immediately.” |