MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) - After 14 days in captivity, the vice-president of Basilan State College was released by his kidnappers in the boundaries of Tipo-Tipo and Tuburan past 10 p.m. Thursday.

Basilan Vice-Governor Al Rasheed Sakalahul said he personally fetched Orlando Fajardo from a drop-off point after they were able to convince the kidnappers to release the school official.

“He is well and good. In fact, the military offered to bring him to Zamboanga Hospital for medical check-up [but] since it's Christmas time, he asked us for him to be with his family and maybe tomorrow he will go to Zamboanga for medical check-up,” Sakalahul told ANC, noting that Fajardo’s blood pressure last night was normal.

The military debriefed Fajardo then turned him over to his family in his residence.

“He was only hurt once when he was abducted. While in captivity, he was treated well by the abductors,” added Sakalahul, who confirmed that the kidnappers are members of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

Fajardo was kidnapped on December 10 by armed men in Sumagdang, Isabela City in Basilan. The kidnappers waylaid the multicab vehicle of the victim and forcibly took Fajardo, leaving his wife and a companion.

The Basilan vice-governor said the military and Philippine National Police (PNP) are tracking down the abductors.

MILF help

Sakalahul admitted that the family of Fajardo paid at least P100,000 to the kidnappers for board and lodging fees.

The victim's family first paid P30,000 four days after Fajardo's kidnapping. They gave the remaining P70,000 to the kidnappers on Thursday.

According to Sakalahul, the kidnappers could have realized that Fajardo's family was not capable of paying a huge amount of ransom.

Meanwhile, the Basilan vice-governor also recognized the effort of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Agbas Sallung, who helped in facilitating the release of Fajardo.

“That's true. In fact it was because of the pressure of the military from the other side so the kidnappers turned [him] over to [the] MILF commander... And the MILF called me to fetch Mr. Orlando Fajardo last night at exactly 9:30,” he recounted.

Sakalahul also mentioned they will officially present Fajardo to Basilan Governor Jum Akbar on Friday.