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Freed RI hostages to return home following recovery
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Strong commitment – Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (right), accompanied by her deputy, AM Fachir (left), attend a hearing at the House of Representatives in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Aug. 31. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
F
oreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi has said the three Indonesian hostages released by their Abu Sayyaf captors on Saturday were set to return to Indonesia from the Philippines as soon as their health condition permitted.
She assured the public that the crewmen were all in a good condition and said they were currently under the care of officials at the Indonesian Consulate General in Davao.
"They are healthy and in a good condition. After undergoing some more recovery processes, the three hostages will be repatriated to Indonesia," Retno told reporters on Tuesday. She did not give further details on when they would return home.
The three sailors, namely Ferry Arifin, M. Mahbur Dahlan and Edi Suryono, were on board the tugboat MV Charles when it was attacked by Abu Sayyaf militants on June 21. Two other MV Charles crew members, Robin Peter and M. Nasir, still remain in captivity.
Although the five sailors worked in the same boat, they were taken hostage separately by two different Abu Sayyaf sub groups in the southern Philippines, the government reported earlier.
Retno reiterated the government's commitment to the safe release of the two remaining men. (ebf)
