Abu Sayyaf militants release kidnapped engineer

MANILA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) released on Monday a Filipino government engineer they had kidnapped three months ago, the military said Monday.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu, said the extremists freed Enrico Nee at around 8 a.m. on Monday in Latih, a village in Patikul town in the southern Philippine province of Sulu.

Nee was abducted by Abu Sayyaf members in Jolo town on February 14.

"He recalled that he was cornered by seven heavily armed men on board a jeep. He was brought to the mountainous part of Patikul where a bigger ASG formation was waiting," said Sobejana.

Sobejana said Abu Sayyaf militants abandoned Nee due to health problem. The villagers reported Nee's presence to the authorities immediately, he added.

Nee told military that he has been in three armed clashes between the military and the Abu Sayyaf group during the period of his captivity.

"He said the ASG may have released him because he delays their movement due to his health condition and probably the ASG don't want him to die due to sickness under their custody," Sobejana said.

The Abu Sayyaf are still holding nine kidnapees, the military said, including four Filipinos and five foreigners. Enditem