Abu Sayyaf frees Norwegian hostage

COTABATO CITY -- Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad was freed by extremist Abu Sayyaf Group to the Moro National Liberation Front in Sulu on Friday evening and turned over to the government on Saturday afternoon, military sources and published reports said.In a statement, the Joint Task Group Sulu, saidSekkingstad one of the four abducted byAbu in Samal Island in Davao del Norte in September 2015, was still in Sulu as of 5 p.m. Bad weather condition in Sulu forced the military to hold his transport to Davao City where he was scheduled to presented to the President.ASG Abu Ramie, self-proclaimed spokesperson of a group that held captive Sekkingstad said the Norwegian was freed after they received a ransom of P30 million.In August, President Duterte has said that a P50 million ransom has been paid for the release of Sekkingstad but the ASG kept on asking for more money.It was not clear who paid the ransom but the government insisted its no ransom policy remains.Filipina Marites Flor was freed last July.Her boyfriend,Robert Hall and another Canadian John Ridsdel were beheaded after ransom payment was not materialized.