An Indian kidnapped more than a year ago on a troubled southern Philippine island escaped yesterday when his Muslim captors fell asleep after fasting for Ramadan, local police claimed.
Biju Kolara Veetil, 37, was abducted by suspected Muslim extremists, suspected of being part of the Abu Sayyaf Group  in June last year in Jolo while visiting his Filipina wife’s family on the strife-torn island.
Veetil snuck away from his sleeping captors before dawn yesterday, hitching a ride then taking refuge with a local official before contacting police, said local police chief Senior Supt. Antonio Freyra.
“The kidnappers were resting. They had been fasting (for Ramadan) and they got tired and fell asleep, so he slipped away,” Freyra said.
During Ramadam, however, the fast is broken after 6 p.m.
It is usual in this country that police and the military are never reported to have rescued kidnapped victims of the Abu Sayyaf. Ransom demands by this kidnap group usually are met and the victims are released.
It is also usual for the police, as well as the victim, to claim that they escaped from their captors while they were either resting, asleep or relieving themselves.
The story is always the same. The hostage who “escaped”, generally does not know the way from the jungles and finds the path toward wherever he meets a local executive.
Freyra, the Sulu police chief said  the victim was walking along the street and stopped a passing vehicle, then asked to be sent to the house of Ismun Suhuri, a board member of Patikul, Sulu.
Veetil underwent a medical examination after a debriefing session conducted by the police.
Veetil was abducted on June 22, 2011 in Sitio Kaban-Kaban in Barangay Tempuk in Patikul.
The police said he was kidnapped by an Abu Sayyaf faction led by sub-leader Jurim Hussin.
The other members of the faction were identified as Ninok Sappari, Mamih Samlahun, Almudjir Yadah, and Namil Aharadji.
The Indian captive was reported much earlier to have been one of the hostages of the Abu Sayyaf whom another hostage, the Jordanian journalist, according to earlier reports, wanted freed.
To this day, the Aquino government has done nothing to rescue the Jordanian journalist from the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers,
The Jordan government reportedly had paid a sizable ransom for his release but that he refuses to leave unless all other hostages held by the bandit group are released.
The Indian, who said he lost 20 kilos (44 pounds) in captivity, appeared to be in good health, the police chief said.
He was reunited on the island with his wife, who was surprised to see him free and told police she had not paid any ransom, Freyra said. The motive for the kidnapping remains unclear.
Impoverished Jolo is a stronghold of various armed groups including Muslim extremists, former rebels and private armies of powerful political clans.
The southern Philippines has long been the haunt of Muslim armed groups who kidnap foreigners and Christians for ransom including the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf.
Meanwhile, acting on a tip from Community Investigative Support volunteers, police and military operatives nabbed a suspected member of the Abu Sayyaf Group Thursday.
Director Samuel D. Pagdilao, Jr., Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief, said Friday a team of the CIDG, PCTC9 and Intelligence Division of the Air Force arrested Thursday Isnajir Sakkam alias “Abu Fatima.”
The suspect, a resident of Rio Hondo, Zamboanga City, was nabbed at 7:30 a.m. at the Zamboanga City Public Market.
The suspect, an alleged member of the ASG, is wanted for kidnapping and serious illegal detention, or kidnapping.   With AFP and PNA