KOTA KINABALU: Three rescued Malaysian hostages today expressed their eagerness to return home after being held captive for eight months by the Abu Sayyaf militant group.
Fandy Bakran, 26, Mohammad Jumadil Rahim, 23, and Mohd Ridzuan Ismail, 32, said this when they were presented to the local media in Zamboanga City, Philippines after receiving treatment at a military hospital in Jolo.
"We want to return to our homeland as soon as possible," Fandy told reporters during the press conference.
The interview was captured in a 16-second video recording, which was uploaded by the Philippine's Inquirer news portal on its Twitter account.
Fandy, who spoke on behalf of the group, also thanked the relevant quarters particularly the Phillipines authorities for rescuing them and bringing them to safety.
The trio were rescued at 11.20pm yesterday at Panglima Estino in the Sulu Province, about 26km from where Tayufin Anjut, 46, and Abdul Rahim Sumas, 62, were picked up by the Philippines authorities.
On March 23, Philippines security forces rescued the duo at 2am after Abu Sayyaf members left them at Kalinggalang Caluang.
The five Malaysian crew members had on July 17 last year boarded the Serudong 3 tugboat in Sandakan and headed out to Semporna. The tugboat was towing a barge.
The following day, the captain of another tugboat spotted the abandoned Serudong 3 and the barge in Dent Haven waters about 2pm.