After 73 days of being in captivity, a 72-year-old Swiss-born Filipino businessman was finally rescued by government troops before dawn Wednesday at a far-flung village in Zamboanga City.

Authorities said the victim’s abductors, whom they have yet to identify, are still being pursued by government forces. However, initial reports said suspected members of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) are believed behind the kidnapping.

Rear Admiral Alexander Pama, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao Command (Navforwest) and head of the anti-terror Joint Task Force Trillium, said Charlie Reith was rescued by Task Task Force Charlie at around 3 a.m. in Barangay Labuan, Zamboanga City.

Authorities said no ransom was paid to Reith’s captors, saying the victim was rescued after his captors panicked upon seeing military and police forces. The village where the government forces rescued the victim is about 30 kilometers away from the city proper.

Pama said government monitored and intercepted Reith’s kidnappers as they were reportedly moving the victim to another location.

He added that when the troops cornered the victim’s captors, they scampered away and left Reith behind.

Reith was seized April 4 by armed men disguised in police uniforms from his home along the coastal area of Barangay Patalon, Zamboanga City.

Police tagged the Abu Sayyaf bandits as the suspects in the abduction while the military said it was the handiwork of lawless members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

While authorities could not readily establish which group is behind the abduction, three photos of Reith’s captors previously made public showed one of them was involved in the kidnapping of Irish missionary Michael Sinnott in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur in October last year.

Sinnott, 80, was freed two months later in the village of Sangali in Zamboanga City after private negotiators paid huge ransom to his captors, believed to be MILF members.

Following his rescue, Reith was taken to the station hospital in Camp Navarro for medical checkup and debriefing.

Authorities said Reith, who confirmed he was rescued, lost some weight but expressed gladness that he is finally free. He is now with his family.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, Navy spokesman, said the rescue was conducted by police elements backed by Navy Special Operations Team and Navy ship PS38.

“The successful rescue that caught the abductors by surprise is the fruit of an extensive intelligence build-up by the police and Philippine Navy operatives,” Arevalo said, adding: “Although follow up operations are ongoing, this is a welcome development as the personnel involved here can augment other forces pursuing the abductors of other kidnap victims who were murdered in Basilan.”