This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 19, 2015.

KUCHING: The family of murdered Malaysian hostage Bernard Then Ted Fen appealed to Putrajaya and the Philippine government to expedite the search for his remains and return his body home.

Breaking his silence on the beheading of Bernard by Abu Sayyaf militants, his brother Christopher thanked well-wishers for their prayers and support in the months leading to the tragic news after enduring 188 days of hope.

“For the last 188 days, we lived with hope, yet hopelessness.

“With this dreaded news, we continue to pray for the repose of his soul. We hope the governments of Malaysia and the Philippines will expedite the search and repatriation of his body home,” Christopher said.

He also asked that the family be accorded privacy and allowed to mourn their loss.

Bernard was beheaded on Tuesday afternoon and his body reportedly buried not far from where he had been held for six months, near Barangay Tanan in Indanan.

Latest reports said a severed head believed to be that of Bernard’s was found in a sack outside a municipal building on Jolo island.

Reports of Bernard’s murder have so far been based on Philippine intelligence and police sources. — The Malaysian Insider