Bandits Release U.S. Missionary in Philippines

Muslim bandits freed a U.S. missionary unharmed after holding him captive for 68 days in their jungle hide-out in the southern Philippines, officials said today.

Gerald Fraszczak, 55, was released Tuesday on a beach on the island of Basilan after negotiations between the kidnapers and local Muslim officials, the area marine commander, Brig. Gen. Antonio Villamor, told reporters.

“Free!” a broadly grinning Fraszczak told a news conference today at the southern military command headquarters in Zamboanga, about 535 miles south of Manila.

The lanky Roman Catholic missionary looked frail and was unshaven when he appeared before reporters.

Villamor said no ransom was paid to obtain Fraszczak’s freedom.

But Joey Tugung, son of a local Muslim congresswoman who negotiated the American’s release, said he gave the kidnapers sacks of rice, his hand-held radio, a wristwatch and two pairs of glasses “as a token.”

Armed men described by the military as former Muslim separatist guerrillas turned bandits seized Fraszczak on Oct. 22 while he was visiting a village on Basilan along with a Filipino priest. The kidnapers left the local priest alone.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila had said Fraszczak is a native of Chicago, but the missionary gave his hometown as Polanski, Wis.