By JONG CADION
PAGADIAN CITY - On or about 1:30 dawn of March 23, 2013 the Australian
National Warren Richard Rodwell was freed by his abductor in the coastal area
near Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in baranay Sta. Lucia following the successful negotiation conducted in Basilan province.
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Kidnapped Warren Richard
Rodwell feeling at home while
at the Pagadian City Police
Staion (ByJong Cadion)
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The Abu Sayyaf Group who is known to be a Kidnapped for Ransom Syndicate
in the southern part of Mindanao was identified as responsible of kidnapping of
Rodwell on December 5, 2011 while he was at his residence at Barangay Sanito in
Ipil town Zamboanga Sibugay.
The former soldier Rodwell 54 years old had worked as a teacher in China before his marriage to a Filipina Miraflor Gutang. Rodwell
settled in Ipil with his wife in 2011.
The Australian National was brought by City Police Chief Senior Superintendent
Julius Muñez to Pagadian City Police Station after he was seen and turn-over to
them by the concern citizen.
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Kidnapped Anustalian
Natinaol
Warren Richard Rodwell while
at the Pagadian City Police Staion.
Muñez (By Jong Cadion)
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"Lose weight... skeleton," Rodwell said as he smiled in the
video, after he took off his T-shirt and pointed at ribs that could be seen
hard up against his skin.
Rodwell joked with policemen and a journalist who took
video footage of him for AFP at Pagadian City police station on Mindanao Island,
shortly after his kidnappers released him early on Saturday morning.Rowell was formally turn-over to the Anti-Kidnapped for Ransom Task Group headed by P/Supt Jeff E. Ganged and to the Australian Embassy personnel. The kidnapped victim was flown immediately to Zamboanga City by the U.S military board N214Eb (Evergreen) chopper at 5:00 early morning.
How Australian kidnapped victim Rodwell
arrived and released in Pagadian?
Muñez denied on the reports that Rodwell was kept in Pagadian City
before his release.
“In the late afternoon, I was already alerted by our Regional Director
Vanio and the head of Anti-Kidnapping Task Group on the possibility of the
release of kidnapped victim Rodwell due to the ongoing negotiation in Basilan,
COP Muñez disclosed.
“I spent one day and one night to travel from Tawi-Tawi to Basilan then
to Pagadian City onboard on a motorized boat,” Australian National Warren Rodwell told Police Inspector Eurem Jay Q. Macasil, chief of 903rd
Maritime Police Station-Zamboanga del Sur of the 9th Maritime Mobile
Group based in Port Area, Pagadian City.
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Kidnapped Warren Richard
Rodwell together
with the P/Insp Eurem Jay
Macasil, Chief of the
903rd Maritime Police
Station, based in Pagadian
City Port. (By Jong Cadion)
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http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/focus/03/24/13/kidnappers-fired-shots-thwart-aussies-escape-bids
Nathaniel Tampus is the first person met by Rodwell in Pagadian City after he was freed by his abductor. He is the operation manager of wharf area and at the same time a Barangay Treasurer of Brgy. Santiago, neighboring Brgy. of Sta. Lucia.
Nathaniel Tampus is the first person met by Rodwell in Pagadian City after he was freed by his abductor. He is the operation manager of wharf area and at the same time a Barangay Treasurer of Brgy. Santiago, neighboring Brgy. of Sta. Lucia.
Rodwell was first seen by Tampus walking along the Boulevard near the
Bureau of Fisheries office Barangay Sta. Lucia District toward the Philippine
Port Authority (PPA) gate.
He approached Rodwell while standing in front of the PPA gate and asked
him… “Hey are you a tourist? No, I have my wife in Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay, I
am an Australian who has been a kidnap victim in Ipil, please help me.” Rodwell
gave him a piece of cigarette silver paper from his pocket with handwritten in
a bold letter on it (PENANCER ABDUL WAHAB DACULA). Rodwell was noticeably very
weak and answered him in a soft and almost not heard voice. Tampus accompanied
him to the nearby Maritime Police Station.
Rodwell sip twice the cup of coffee we offered him showing his thirst
and hunger, Police Inspector Macasil told AFP News. Rodwell that time is very
wet and muddy feet when he arrived in our office. “I was paddling on a boat to
reach the shoreline and I was forced to disembark because it’s low tide that’s
why my feet is muddy,” Rodwell told him, Macasil said.
“We are onboard on two motorized boat, me with 2 men escorts while the
another 2 men convoy in another pump boat. Upon arriving near the shoreline in
Pagadian, I was left alone in a boat and paddling until I reach the boulevard,”
Rodwell narrated to Macasil how he arrived in Pagadian.
Rodwell also shared his experience while in captivity that he attempted
to escape but he was shot hitting his left back palm (Rodwell showing the scar)
while talking his experience but did not informed them the specific date when
it happened, Macasil continued.
There was a time that he was very scared after knowing that there was an
encounter occurred between his abductors and another armed group even heard
about beheading incident during the said encounter, the maritime chief added.
Did you miss your wife? No, because she is always asking for money, this
was Rodwell statement with smile.
“He is a nice guy, I enjoy our conversation with Rodwell but it was
suddenly ended upon the arrival of the Pagadian City Police Chief P/SSupt
Julius Muñez and brought Rodwell to the City Police Station for further
investigation, Inspector Macasil disclosed.
God bless you, sweet reader, and may you have a long healthy life. Four million pesos or $AUD94,000 was paid :-)
ReplyDeleteMaybe, I read something wrong, but Australian Warren Rodwell never lived in Basilan. He married a local gal on Mindanao mainland in the Christian territory of the Philippines.
Upon release, the Abu Sayyaf rebels conveniently renamed the ransom, “boarding and lodging” expenses. The innocent little wife, Miraflor (Grace) Gutang, did NOT sell or raise any money herself, as she claimed, and now could be facing perjury charges in the Philippines.
After Rodwell returned to Australia (without her), Ms Gutang kept the new house in Ipil, Mindanao and the cash that was in it. He has since divorced her, denying any responsibility for the child she bore from a previous relationship.
One can only guess that Ms Gutang is back online searching for a new foreign "Joe". Hey, "Papa Joe" has a nice ring to it, as too does "Sugar Daddy".
Warren Richard Rodwell (born June 16, 1958 [62] Homebush NSW) [63] a former soldier [64] in the Australian Army, and university English teacher,[65] grew up in Tamworth NSW [66] He was shot through the right hand when seized [67] from his home at Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on December 5, 2011 [68] by Abu Sayyaf (ASG) militants.[69] Rodwell later had to have a finger amputated.[70]
ReplyDeleteThe ASG threatened to behead Rodwell [71] if the original ransom demand for $US2 million was not paid.[72] Both the Philippine and Australian governments had strict policies of refusing to pay ransoms.[73] Australia formed a multi-agency task force to assist the Philippine authorities, and liaise with Rodwell's family.[74] A news blackout was imposed.[75] Filipino politicians helped negotiate the release.[76] After the payment of $AUD94,000 [77] for "board and lodging" expenses [78] by his siblings, Rodwell was released 472 days later on March 23, 2013.[79] The incumbent Australian prime minister praised the Philippines government for securing Rodwell's release. Tribute was also made to Australian officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Australian Federal Police and Defence.[80] Rodwell subsequently returned to Australia.[81]
As part of the 2015 Australia Day Honours, Australian Army Lieutenant Colonel Paul Joseph Barta was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for outstanding devotion to duty as the Assistant Defence Attaché Manila during the Australian whole of government response to the Rodwell kidnap for ransom (and immediately following, the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan). At the 2015 Australian Federal Police Foundation Day award ceremony in Canberra, fourteen AFP members received the Commissioners’ Group Citation for Conspicuous Conduct for their work in support of the Philippine National Police and Australian Government efforts to release Australian man Warren Rodwell.[82]
By the end of his 15 months as a hostage in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Rodwell had lost about 30 kilograms in weight due to starvation,[83] His biography 472 Days Captive of the Abu Sayyaf - The Survival of Australian Warren Rodwell by independent researcher Dr Robert (Bob) East was published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, United Kingdom (2015) ISBN 1-4438-7058-7 [84]
In January 2015, Mindanao Examiner newspaper reported the arrest of Barahama Ali [85] kidnap gang sub-leaders linked to the kidnapping of Warren Rodwell, who was seized by at least 5 gunmen (disguised as policemen), and eventually handed over or sold by the kidnappers to the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan province.[86]
In May 2015, ex-Philippine National Police (PNP) officer Jun A. Malban was arrested in Kota Kinabalu Malaysia for the crime of "Kidnapping for Ransom" after Rodwell identified him as the negotiator/spokesperson of the Abu Sayyaf Group during his captivity. Further PNP investigation revealed that Malban is the cousin of Abu Sayyaf leaders Khair Mundos and Borhan Mundos. The director of the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) stated that Malban's arrest resulted from close coordination by the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation (Philippines) and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission with the Malaysian counterparts and through Interpol.[87]
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Warren Richard Rodwell (born June 16, 1958 [62] Homebush NSW) [63] a former soldier [64] in the Australian Army, and university English teacher,[65] grew up in Tamworth NSW [66] He was shot through the right hand when seized [67] from his home at Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on December 5, 2011 [68] by Abu Sayyaf (ASG) militants.[69] Rodwell later had to have a finger amputated.[70]
ReplyDeleteThe ASG threatened to behead Rodwell [71] if the original ransom demand for $US2 million was not paid.[72] Both the Philippine and Australian governments had strict policies of refusing to pay ransoms.[73] Australia formed a multi-agency task force to assist the Philippine authorities, and liaise with Rodwell's family.[74] A news blackout was imposed.[75] Filipino politicians helped negotiate the release.[76] After the payment of $AUD94,000 [77] for "board and lodging" expenses [78] by his siblings, Rodwell was released 472 days later on March 23, 2013.[79] The incumbent Australian prime minister praised the Philippines government for securing Rodwell's release. Tribute was also made to Australian officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Australian Federal Police and Defence.[80] Rodwell subsequently returned to Australia.[81]
As part of the 2015 Australia Day Honours, Australian Army Lieutenant Colonel Paul Joseph Barta was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for outstanding devotion to duty as the Assistant Defence Attaché Manila during the Australian whole of government response to the Rodwell kidnap for ransom (and immediately following, the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan). At the 2015 Australian Federal Police Foundation Day award ceremony in Canberra, fourteen AFP members received the Commissioners’ Group Citation for Conspicuous Conduct for their work in support of the Philippine National Police and Australian Government efforts to release Australian man Warren Rodwell.[82]
By the end of his 15 months as a hostage in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Rodwell had lost about 30 kilograms in weight due to starvation,[83] His biography 472 Days Captive of the Abu Sayyaf - The Survival of Australian Warren Rodwell by independent researcher Dr Robert (Bob) East was published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, United Kingdom (2015) ISBN 1-4438-7058-7 [84]
In January 2015, Mindanao Examiner newspaper reported the arrest of Barahama Ali [85] kidnap gang sub-leaders linked to the kidnapping of Warren Rodwell, who was seized by at least 5 gunmen (disguised as policemen), and eventually handed over or sold by the kidnappers to the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan province.[86]
In May 2015, ex-Philippine National Police (PNP) officer Jun A. Malban was arrested in Kota Kinabalu Malaysia for the crime of "Kidnapping for Ransom" after Rodwell identified him as the negotiator/spokesperson of the Abu Sayyaf Group during his captivity. Further PNP investigation revealed that Malban is the cousin of Abu Sayyaf leaders Khair Mundos and Borhan Mundos. The director of the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) stated that Malban's arrest resulted from close coordination by the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation (Philippines) and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission with the Malaysian counterparts and through Interpol.[87]
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