Barely a week after he escaped from the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan province, engineer Virgilio Fernandez visted Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia at the Capitol to thank her for her help.
Fernandez, who was accompanied last Friday by聽 two sons,聽 recounted聽 his escape from the bandit group.
He said he lost 30 pounds from walking several kilometers and was fed only聽 rice and noodles twice a day during聽 his 16-day captivity.
The engineer, who was seized by the bandit group while overseeing a project in Lamitan City, said his every move was monitored by聽 five armed men.
鈥淧inangga gyod ka sa Ginoo (You are favored聽 by God),鈥� the governor said.
The 59-year-old engineer described聽 how his religious faith聽 strengthened him during his ordeal.
With his father held captive by the Abu Sayyaf, Fernandez鈥檚 son Pierre Virgil visited Garcia鈥檚 office to ask her assistance.
Last June 8,聽 the Capitol extended聽 P50,000 cash in financial aid聽 to the Fernandez family, who reside in barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City
Garcia also called Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar to help Fernandez鈥檚 family.
Fernandez said his family was asked to pay P9.8 million as ransom.
The Abu Sayaff kidnappers also聽 threatened to behead him if they weren鈥檛 paid.
He said he managed to flee through an unlocked door while his captors were sleeping in one of the houses they stayed in.
He聽 walked for hours in mountain trails and was聽 found by civilian paramilitary volunteers last Sunday. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus