The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has rescued two Malaysians from the hands of the Abu Sayyaf.
AFP Spokesperson Colonel Edgard Arevalo identified the foreign hostages as Fandy Bin Bakran, 26, and Abdul Rahim Bin Summas, 62.
They were left behind by their captors when the Marines launched an operation against the bandits in the marshland village of Carundong at 2 am on Thursday.
The area is in the country’s southwestern tip.
The victims were among the five Malaysians who were on board a tugboat off Lahad Datu on the eastern side of Sabah, Malaysia when they were kidnapped by the ASG in July last year.
The foreigners are being brought to Camp General Teodulfo Bautista in Jolo, Sulu for medical check up and debriefing.
The ASG still keeps 29 hostages, six of them are Filipinos.
The AFP estimates the current number of ASG members at 450.