Guide of abducted Europeans escapes in Philippines

Feb 2, 2012, 12:10 GMT

Manila - A local tour guide abducted with two European birdwatchers in the southern Philippines escaped their captors, police said Thursday.

Ivan Sarenas, 35, jumped off the speeding boat of the kidnappers as they headed towards Jolo Island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, said Director Felicisimo Khu, a regional police commander.

'The navy has put up a naval blockade, and the police in Jolo have been alerted,' Khu said.

Sarenas was abducted with Elwold Horn, 52, from Holland and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 47, from Switzerland Wednesday while on a small boat off the island town of Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi province.

'I knew we were headed for Jolo and I got really scared for my life,' Sarenas told local television station ABS-CBN.

'Before I jumped, I told my companions and they agreed, they wished me luck,' he added. 'There are other details I can't reveal yet.'

Sarenas said fishermen rescued him after he jumped and helped him reach the police.

He and the Europeans arrived in Panglima Sugala on January 29 and were headed back to the capital town of Bongao when they were abducted.

No group had claimed responsibility for the abduction, but Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels have been responsible for previous kidnappings of foreigners in the area.

The rebels are suspected of holding captive a 56-year-old Australian man abducted December 5. A 2-million-dollar ransom has been demanded for his safe release.

'We have not identified the group involved in the kidnapping,' said Senior Superintendent Rodelio Jocson, provincial police commander.

'We are now investigating who the owners of the boat used by the victims and the suspects are,' he said.

Jocson said the kidnapped Europeans and their tour guide probably became 'complacent' because they had previously visited Panglima Sugala without incident.