A lady lawmaker “rescued” Monday an Arab mosque builder who was abducted by suspected Abu Sayyaf group bandits two weeks ago in Lanao del Sur.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Faysah RPM Dumarpa was instrumental in the rescue of 35-year-old Najeb Hamed Al Odini, a native of the United Arab Emirates, who was released to her by the kidnappers near the mountain border of Misamis Oriental and Lanao del Sur at about 1 a.m. last Monday.

Dumarpa said she was accompanied by her niece, Nurhaya Racman, and Habib Salic, husband of Assemblywoman Sohaylah Salic, near the boundary of Tagoloan town, Lanao del Sur and Talakag, Misamis Oriental, in fetching Odini.

Odini was immediately brought to a Cagayan de Oro City hospital where he underwent medical checkup and was declared in good condition.

“He admitted being tortured by his abductors. He looked pale but was in good health,” revealed Dumarpa’s husband, former Commissioner Salic Dumarpa of the National Labor Relations Commission.

Information about Odini’s January 29 abduction had been kept under wraps by the police and the military for fear that his kidnappers might harm him.

Commissioner Dumarpa said suspected ASG men took Odini while he was supervising a construction job in Marawi City nearly two weeks ago.

His abductors demanded $100,000 for his freedom, the former NLRC official revealed. He added that some of the suspects spoke Yakan and Tausug.

It was gathered that Odini has been sent to the Philippines by the UAE government to personally manage a mosque construction program in various parts of Mindanao.

Dumarpa said Odini was released to his wife by five heavily-armed men wearing bonnets.

“Congresswoman Dumarpa paid them a modest sum to cover for Odini’s board and lodging, that’s all,” he said.