Philippine gunmen free US hostage
[Bangla Daily Star] An American woman kidnapped in a lawless part of the Philippines walked free after nearly 12 weeks in captivity, but she was forced to leave behind her son and nephew, authorities said yesterday.
Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, her 14-year-old son and her Filipino teenage nephew were kidnapped on July 12 on a resort island off Zamboanga city, close to other southern islands where a range of Islamist snuffies are based.
Lunsmann's ordeal ended on Sunday night after the kidnappers took her by boat from Qazi's guesthouse an undisclosed location to a wharf on nearby Basilan island, and ordered her to walk into a town, local officials and the military said.
"The victim looked haggard and tired. She had lost weight and is a little weak," said police physician Superintendent Dexter Bubuli, who met Lunsmann, 41, hours after she was airlifted to a military camp in Zamboanga.
"She looked very traumatised by what had happened."
Celso Lobregat, mayor of Zamboanga city, said Lunsmann's son and nephew remained in captivity and negotiations for their release were continuing.
Posted by: Fred 2011-10-04 |