The Philippine Online Chronicles

Still unclear if he escaped or was freed, Philippine officials reported that an American teenager, son of earlier released Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, is now safe under the custody of the military or the mayor of Basilan.

Conflicting reports say 14-year-old Kevin Lunsmann was supposedly freed by the Abu Sayyaf or escaped like his Filipino cousin who successfully ran from the kidnap-for-ransom group last month.

Inquirer Mindanao reported that Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Comman confirmed that Lunsmann was “released by his captors and is now with Lt. Colonel Russel Pompa, a commanding officer of the 32^nd Infantry Battalion in Lamitan.” However, he did not elaborate on how the teenager was freed or if ransom was paid.

The local police said Lunsmann was freed around 9 p.m. yesterday at Bulingan village which is 7 kilometers away from Lamitan.

Lunsmann, his Filipino-American mother Gerfa and a distant cousin Romnick Jakaria were kidnapped on July 12, 2011. The three were vacationing with relatives in an island near Zambaonga city when they were kidnapped. Gerfa, a 41-year-old veterinary, was released in October 2 while Jakaria escaped on November 12 as the Philippine army managed to approach an Abu Sayyaf camp in the mountains of Basilan.

While blame has been laid on the Abu Sayyaf, there has been no public claim of responsibility on their part.

Teachers almost kidnapped

Last Thursday, three teachers from the Limaong Elementary School in Zamboanga City were almost abducted by armed men.

Riza dela Cruz, Kristine Mae Mariano and Lerma Cabilles had just dismissed their students when five men entered the campus and seized them. The teachers, however, struggled, saying they were willing to be shot and killed than taken as captives by the men.

Government militiamen were able to scare away the suspects unto the shore of Barangay Limaong but were able to evade arrest.

The Department of Education (DepEd) suspended classes in the said school pending the investigation.