Zamboanga City (PNA)- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) police director Chief Supt. Bensali Jabarani said he is in favor for the conduct operations to rescue the two kidnapped aid workers in Basilan province.

Esperancita Hupida, program director of Nagdilaab Foundation Incorporated (NFI) and Millet Mendoza, a Manila-based freelance community development specialist are now on their 26th day of captivity.

Jabarani, however, said he will leave it up to the families of the hostages and the organization they belong to decide whether or not they opt for a rescue operation.

He disclosed that they have intensified intelligence operation to determine the whereabouts of the kidnappers as well as their hostages.

Hupida and Mendoza were seized by 10 gunmen believed to be Abu Sayyaf bandits in the afternoon of September 15 in the village of Cabangalan, Unkaya Pukan town.

The captives were returning to Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province, coming from Tipo-Tipo where they are implementing humanitarian project when they were seized.

Basilan Vice-Gov. Alrashid Sakalahul, head Crisis Management Committee formed to seek the safe release of the hostages, disclosed that the kidnappers have demanded P5 million ransom in exchange for the release of one of the two captives.

The P5 million ransom is for the release of Hupida while the kidnappers have yet to announced the ransom for Mendoza, according to Sakalahul. (Teofilo P. Garcia - PNA)