Muslim Filipinos Free U.S., German Men Held 1 Year

Muslim secessionist rebels today released an American and a German they had held hostage in the wilderness of the southern Philippines for more than a year, the U.S. Embassy said.

A brief embassy statement said John Robinow, a native of New York, and Helmuth Herbst of Munich, West Germany, were flown to a hospital at the United States’ Clark Air Base immediately after their release on Jolo Island to Pakistani Ambassador Aftab Ahmad Khan.

It said the men were “resting, recuperating and receiving appropriate medical attention.”

Robinow and Herbst, both residents of Munich, were kidnaped Nov. 19, 1984, near the town of Indanan on Jolo by guerrillas of the Moro National Liberation Front.

The kidnapers demanded a ransom of $25,000 that both the American and West German governments refused to pay. Khan said the hostages were released today “without conditions.”