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THE
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated Monday
it is against the payment of ransom to the kidnappers to
ensure the release of broadcast journalist Ces
Oreña-Drilon and the two other remaining hostages even
as the kidnappers have given the government only until
noon today, Tuesday, to pay a P15-million ransom for the
freedom of the victims.
Lt. Col.
Ernesto Torres Jr., AFP information officer, said the
military will not agree to the delivery of money to the
captors of Drilon and her company just to seek their
freedom as a longstanding policy of the government.
He
implied the family of the hostages should observe this
policy, even as he added that both the police and the
military and even the provincial government of Sulu are
doing their best to have the three hostages released.
“We
stand by our policy of not giving into the demands of
terrorists, be it Abu Sayyaf or communist terrorists,”
Torres said.
Indanan
Mayor Alvarez Isnaji, the negotiator who is working for
the kidnapped victims’ release, confirmed the abductors
who are reported members of the Abu Sayyaf have given
television network ABS-CBN, the families of the captives
and the government only until today to secure their
freedom.
Isnaji
said the kidnappers have sought P15 million for the
freedom of Drilon, her cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion and
Mindanao State University professor and peace activist
Octavio Dinampo.
The
three, along with ABS-CBN driver Bernie Valderama, who
had been released on Thursday, were snatched in Sulu on
Sunday, while setting out to interview Abu Sayyaf
leader Radullan Sahiron.
The
television network said earlier it would not pay ransom
for the release of its staff.
The
kidnappers said they would do whatever they want if and
when their demand would not be met until noontime of
Tuesday, according to Isnaji. “Sila na daw ang
bahala sa policy nila, wala ng makaka-interfere
sa kanila,” he said, quoting the kidnapper, whom
he does not know in person, as telling him over the
phone.
However,
Isnaji said he had nothing to do with the ransom deal,
citing it was an agreement between the kidnappers and
the family of ABS-CBN news anchor Drilon.
Torres
said the military is working with the crisis committee
that was convened and headed by the provincial
government of Sulu in dealing with the deadline set by
the kidnappers.
As to
what action the military is mapping out in preparation
for the deadline, he did not say.
But the
spokesman said the might of the AFP is ready to move
against the abductors if it is needed.
The
“military is always ready to react or to conduct any
military operation when needed, when necessary,” Torres
said.
Meanwhile, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police
director Chief Supt. Joel Goltiao expressed hope they
could work out the release of the victims, but as to
when, he could not say.
Goltiao
only said there are signs the committee could secure the
three hostages’ freedom. The Philippine National Police
(PNP) identified on Monday two of the members of the Abu
Sayyaf who participated in the kidnapping of broadcast
journalist Drilon and her crew in Sulu.
They
were Sulayman Patta, with alias Amah, Ma’as and Abu
Haris, and Walid Tuan Wals, according to Chief Supt.
Sukarno Ikbala, director of the police
community-relations group.
Ikbala,
also a Moro, said both were among the terrorists who
snatched and are keeping Drilon and her company
somewhere in Indanan, Sulu.
PNP
spokesman Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome said the
Department of the Interior and Local Government had
approved a reward of P500,000 each for information
leading to the arrest of the two.
Bartolome, who presided over a press conference along
with Ikbala, said there is also an ongoing operation to
get the abductors of the ABS-CBN staff.
He said
they have also already identified the other terrorists
who took part in the kidnapping of the television crew
on Sunday, but were thoroughly confirming their
identities.
Meanwhile, the families of Drilon and Encarnacion
clarified erroneous reports that they are directly
communicating with the kidnappers and independently
negotiating for the release of Ces and Jimmy.
“Only
Mayor Isnaji is directly communicating with the
kidnappers. We are counting on him for the release of
Ces and Jimmy and continue to pray for his efforts.”
The
family of Drilon was surprised by reports that Isnaji’s
position is weakened because the family is talking to
the kidnappers directly.
“We met
with Major Isnaji in Zamboanga City on Sunday. He knows
we are not talking to the kidnappers and are counting on
him for the release of Ces and Jimmy. We have also been
assured by ABS-CBN that they are not holding separate
talks with the kidnappers.”
The
families appealed to the media to report with
sensitivity and utmost consideration for the safety of
Ces and Jimmy.
The
military’s Joint Task Force Comet (JTFC) clarified on
Monday there is no ongoing military operation relative
to any rescue efforts for the kidnapped victims, saying
that negotiations are ongoing, in the island province of
Sulu.
JTFC
chief Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban issued the clarification
a day after it was reported that the military based in
Sulu have fired several rounds of cannons on Sunday
toward the hinterlands of the said province.
It was
also reported that while cannons are being fired,
soldiers were seen leaving the camp and were believed
moving toward the kidnappers’ lair.
Sabban
reiterated that the investigation and negotiations on
the kidnapping of Drilon, her cameraman Encarnacion and
a university professor are currently being spearheaded
by the local police and the Sulu provincial government.
“Let me
just clarify that recent operations targeted at
remaining Abu Sayyaf leaders is not part of any rescue
operations for kidnap victims. At this moment, the
military denies any effort toward this [rescue]
direction, since negotiations are ongoing,” Sabban said.
Lt. Gen.
Alexander Yano, Armed Forces chief of staff, earlier
said the troops in Sulu province are placed on standby
to only assist police search for the kidnapped
television news crew and the professor. The Mindanao
Peoples’ Caucus (MPC) earlier expressed alarm with the
reported bombardment against suspected lairs of Abu
Sayyaf in Sulu where kidnap victims Dinampo, Drilon and
Encarnacion are being held hostage.
The
bombing, aside from indiscriminately affecting civilians
like the grandmother who was rushed to a hospital after
she was hit by shrapnel on Sunday, will definitely
jeopardize ongoing negotiations for the safe release of
the kidnap victims and may all the more endanger the
security of the kidnap victims, the MPC said.
“We call
on the Armed Forces of the Philippines to suspend
military operations against the kidnappers while
negotiations for the safe release of the victims are
under way,” MPC said. |
