ABS-CBN admits kidnap of Ces Drilon, vows no ransom payout

June 11, 2008

Following a day of an appeal for a news blackout and another day of the ABS-CBN network official line of its news team going missing, the giant network admitted belatedly that Ces Oreña-Drilon and her two crew members, Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama, have been abducted. The official statement did not point to the Abu Sayyaf as the TV team’s abductors, although it stated that the network will abide by its policy not to pay for ransom “as this would embolden kidnap for ransom groups to abduct other journalists.

The announcement of ABS-CBN network, Tribune’s military intelligence sources pointed out, signals that negotiations between the network and the Abu Sayaff Group (ASG) are now ongoing in earnest.

The sources explained that if negotiations have not started, such an announcement of a “no ransom policy” would be fanning danger, and thus place the kidnap victims in harm’s way, since this stand results in the kidnap gang taking a more hardline position.

Already, a police official told media that negotiations have begun with the kidnappers of the television journalist and her crew in Sulu.

Regional police Chief Supt. Joel Goltiao said there was a “great possibility” that the journalist would be freed, but would not say who was involved in the negotiations.

Earlier, military intelligence sources told the Tribune that several negotiators’ names were offered to the ASG, but that the Muslim group rejected them.

“Negotiations are being conducted,” Goltiao said in a radio interview.

“There is a great possibility that we will obtain the release of Ces Drilon… but we cannot give an exact date.”

No ransom demand has been made public, but the same Intel sources also told the Tribune Monday that the ASG demanded a P10 million ransom for the hostages’ safe release.

The television station and the police have not commented officially on whether a ransom has been demanded but in a statement Wednesday ABS-CBN said it would stick to its policy of not paying ransom.

It is understood, although not confirmed officially, that the kidnappers may have dropped their original ransom demand and are now asking payment for “billeting” the hostages which means the same thing but could be more acceptable.

Military spokesman Col. Ernesto Torres said “there is a lot of information coming in (about Drilon) so we are continuously validating all of this information,” to see if it is accurate.

He reiterated the government’s position against paying ransom to kidnappers.

Goltiao appealed to reporters not to come to Jolo to cover the Drilon kidnapping, saying, “We cannot safeguard them all and they may enter unsecured areas without our knowledge and what happened to Ces may happen to them.”

The abduction of Drilon and her crew has been widely criticized by journalism groups both here and abroad.

“We hope that those who have abducted the journalists and their guide will hear the appeals being made on their behalf by many of the country’s leading figures,” said the international press group Reporters Without Borders.

The Paris-based group said the Abu Sayyaf had been responsible for the kidnapping of more than 30 journalists over the years.

“Taking hostages is unacceptable. We call on all those (who) could have any influence over the kidnappers to try to get Drilon and her colleagues released.”

For its part, Malacañang yesterday claimed Drilon and her ABS-CBN crew could have violated the military protocol, the reason they became the easy kidnap victims.

In a weekly press conference in Malacañang , Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that it was clear that Drilon and company refused to cooperate with the military by rejecting a military escort while in Mindanao and by intentionally failing to disclose their real purpose in the region .

“Perhaps, it could be said they violated the usual security measure and practices by not informing the local leaders and security forces in the area and their purpose of being there. They even rejected a military escort,” Ermita said when asked on the liability of Drilon and company.

Ermita said:“We cannot blame the military. It did its job but the crew should have coordinated with the military.

He reminded the media to be aware of the pros and cons of covering the conflict areas in Mindanao particularly in the known lairs of the ASG.

It is usual practice for the media not to inform the military and police of their “mission” as they would never be able to get the interviews they want. A presence of a military or police escort would immediately cause the calling off of the interview.

“There is a back-channeling openly and covertly,” Ermita admitted.

The Palace official, however, stressed that the government will stand firm on the “no ransom policy.”

At the same time, Malacañang has already asked the assistance of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front to help in the negotiations.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. for his part called on the authorities to crush the ASG.

“No matter how they (ABS-CBN) tried to play it coy, the truth will out that Ces Drilon and company have been abducted and kidnapped. Therefore, the paramount thing for government to do is to secure the safe freedom of Ces and company. And I think that if it is the ASG that did it, it is the duty of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to crush the ASG.

“The days of treating them with kid gloves are over. You cannot solve the problem like Abu Sayyaf by kowtowing to their demands for ransom,” Pimentel said in an interview with reporters.

“I’m talking about the duty of the government. I’m talking about the duty of (AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Alexander) Yano. I’m talking about the duty of the Southcom (Southern Command) to crush the Abu Sayyaf.

General Yano and Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, commander of the Joint Task Force Comet which is assigned to hunt down the ASG and other lawless elements in Sulu, who were at the Senate for their confirmation, remained tight-lipped on the case.

“We do not want to give additional details. Let’s wait for additional developments as they come. We do not want to telegraph any details or information that might compromise whatever is going on, on the ground,” Yano said.

“Our role is to monitor developments of the situation there. As mentioned by Sabban, his men are manning the situation. There’s nothing more about it. We do not want to give additional details as it could compromise any operations,” he added.

“I cannot say much about that. I cannot say anything about that. It’s the PNP (Philippine National Police) that is the lead agency, doing all the initial investigation. Our job is only for the last option. We will assist the PNP in the investigation. AFP, if ever, will be the last option,” Sabban said.

Both Yano and Sabban denied reports that some members of the Philippine Marines tracking down the whereabouts of Drilon and her companions were also supposedly kidnapped by the same group or even the purported release of the university professor accompanying the journalist.

The AFP chief also dismissed any truth to the allegations that the ASG leader was supposed to surrender to the authorities, the reason Drilon was in Sulu to capture the event.

“None. No. Nothing of that sort (was received by the AFP),” Yano said on the matter of supposed information on the surrender feelers.

Sabban for his part, assured that all efforts to ensure the safe return home of the victims are being exhausted by the authorities.

“We’ll try our best and pray for us also. We will try our best to get her back,” he said.

In a related development, Justice secretary Raul Gonzalez yesterday said the abduction of the ABS-CBN crew has no serious implication and is not an indication of the government’s failure to contain transnational terror fronts in the country.

Gonzalez conceded that concern should be expressed for the abduction of Drilon and her crew “as the personalities involved are very popular, it would not upset the government’s gains in the war against terror.”

He claimed that Drilon’s case is an “isolated one.”

The Arroyo government claims it has neutralized the ASG has charged, jailed, deported and killed 689 terrorist sympathizers and operatives in the past years.

”Not even the United States, with all its modern technology can match our record. We have successfully arrested some terrorists which even the US with all its wealth of surveillance equipment and monitoring devices cannot apprehend,” the DoJ chief added.

He also pointed out that “a news black-out is not practical at this point. A news black-out should be instituted when an operation to rescue the hostage is about to be put into action.”

Gonzalez also said that Mindanao State University (MSU) professor Octavio Dinampo can be considered as hostage of the ASG until proven otherwise. With Sherwin C. Olaes, Angie M. Rosales, Benjamin B. Pulta and AFP

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