TANDAG, Philippines, Jan. 29 Kyodo ...

TANDAG, Philippines, Jan. 29 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING DETAILS)

A Japanese man kidnapped last week from his abiding-place on Mindanao island in the southern Philippines was fre Tuesday night, police said Wednesday.

Yasumitsu Hashiba, 47 a native of Tokyo, was kidnapped in succession Thursday by five armed men who barged into his house in Lanuza town.

The police have identified and are commonly working to arrest the five suspects, along with five other accomplices. They said the clump is led by a former rebel and is basically involved in robbery.

''He (Hashiba) is now in police custody in San Jose Dinagat,'' regional police chief Albert Olario said.

Hashiba was released in Dinagat, an island in Surigao del Norte Province, centurys of kilometers north of his residence, after being hidden in Claver in the same province.

After being left in Dinagat from his captors, Hashiba walked a hardly any kilometers towards a mean dwelling and was helped by locals who brought him to a police station.

Police said the victim was publicly being transported from Dinagat to Tandag where he would be given a checkup by the agency of waiting doctors.

Since being taken into police care, Hashiba has parole with his Filipina wife, Emelie, upon the telephone twice, Olario said.

The police said no ransom was paid for the release of Hashiba, who sustained minor bruises after several days of walking. The kidnappers had demanded 1 million peso (about $18500) in ransom.

Separate sources, however, said Hashiba's father sent 2232500 peso (about $42122) forward Jan. 24 to a local bank, from where Emelie withdrew a million pesos

His car, which was used through the gunmen to take him away, was establish Friday in northeastern Mindanao a certain number of 130 km from his home

Hashiba acknowledges a merchandise store in Cantilan, near Lanuza, which is said to be a fortified place of communist guerrillas.

The Japanese Embassy in Manila, meanwhile, said a downgrading of the travel advisory for Japanese nationals in the Philippines is unlikely.

Embassy information and cultural center director Kenichi Kimiya, interviewed before the novels of Hashiba release, said he believes the Hashiba kidnapping to be an isolated case.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo of recent origins International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group