26 July 2000 - ABS-CBN

JOLO, SULU (ABS-CBN) - Jolo police authorities admitted on Tuesday that kidnapping for ransom is a thriving industry in Mindanao, a day after the abduction of ABS-CBN cameraman Percival Cuenca and researcher-writer Maan Macapagal in the Sulu capital.

Both civilian and police sources in Jolo revealed kidnapping has become a regular money-making venture in the poverty-stricken province, not exempting the police.

Locals reportedly offer to serve as tour guides to foreign and local journalists for a fee, only to lead the headline-seekers to the lairs of kidnappers and "sell" them at a higher price.

However, the Jolo police said a different group of kidnappers, not the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), may have been responsible for the abduction of Cuenca and Macapagal.

"Iniisip namin na baka ibang grupo ang kumuha. Ngayon kasi, maraming kumakalat na pera ngayon dito, so baka ang ibang mga tao, bumibili na rin ng armas at bumubuo ng mga grupo nila. Ang mga tao dito ay nagkakaroon ng idea based on the activities ng ASG na malaki ang pera sa hostage-taking," Jolo municipal director Joseph Lo disclosed.

[We think that another group may be behind the abduction because a lot of money has lately been circulating here. So maybe some people have been buying arms and forming their own groups. People here are getting the idea that based on the activities of the ASG there's a great deal of money in hostage-taking.]

Despite the Philippine government's no-ransom policy and the reticence of foreign envoys on the issue of ransom payments, speculations run high that money exchanged hands to facilitate the release of seven hostages of the Abu Sayyaf since June 23, including six Malaysians and a German tourist.

Favor for the payment of ransom to speed up the release of Abu Sayyaf hostages had earlier been expressed by Malaysian officials and the captive husband of German hostage Renate Wallert.

Also, a newspaper report on Tuesday revealed that the sale of firearms in Jolo has suddenly increased, pointing to the circulation of hard cash in the poverty-stricken province.

Journalists as commodities
Police director Col. Candido Casimiro confirmed on Tuesday that Cuenca and Macapagal have already been spotted in the upper part of Baranagay Kaunayan in the municipality of Patikul.

Casimiro said the unidentified men were members of a separate armed group led by a certain Commander Muin Abdullah, a nephew of Abu Sayyaf leader Radullan Sajiron.

Quoting a government envoy, an Associated Press report said the ABS-CBN journalists were being ransomed for P10 million.

Philippine military sources who have also been quoted by the wires agency said the Abu Sayyaf has already received as much as P100 million to prompt the release of the original nine Malaysian hostages. The money is believed to have come from private business sources.

Both Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan and his vice governor Munib Estino disclosed last week that the release of the remaining Malaysian hostages had been hampered by differences among rebels leaders on how much ransom should be paid and how many should be released.

Cuenca and Macapagal were returning from an interview with Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Ahmad Salayyudin alias Abu Sabaya in the rebels' lair when their van was flagged down by armed men and the two journalists abducted at gunpoint, according to their driver whom the kidnappers set free.

The journalists' driver, Hussan Igasan, returned to Jolo immediately after the abduction and reported the incident to the local police.

As this developed, Sajiron vehemently denied his group was behind the latest abduction.

Meanwhile, Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan claimed on Tuesday that less than 10 armed kidnappers seized Cuenca and Macapagal.

Tan called the latest abduction "disturbing because they are just local journalists."

The governor had earlier appealed to local and foreign journalists to leave Jolo, following the Abu Sayyaf's abduction of 10 German journalists last month.

Three other French journalists also covering the Sulu hostage crisis were abducted last July 9.

The German journalists were released after a $25,000 ransom was paid, while three French journalists remain in the Abu Sayyaf's custody.

However, the Muslim extremist group denied having seized German journalist Andreas Lorenz whom it claimed was being held hostage by a lost rebel command.

The Abu Sayyaf has 14 remaining hostages of the original 21 abducted from a Malaysian diving resort last April 23, in addition to the French journalists.

It is also holding captive 13 evangelists of the Jesus Miracle Crusade that had ventured to the kidnappers' lair earlier this month to "pray over" the hostages.

No let-up
Meanwhile, the government assured that government negotiators will continue to work "full blast" to secure the release of the remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf, while President Joseph Estrada completes his working visit to the United States.

Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora assured that the President's absence would not cause government negotiations with hostage-takers to taper off.

"Aasahan natin yan. Di mapipigil yan simply because the President is not here (We expect talks to go full blast," Zamora said.

[We can rely on that. The talks will not taper off simply because the President is not here.]

Government negotiators are being led by the presidential adviser on flagship projects, Secretary Robert Aventajado.

The Abu Sayyaf's 14 remaining hostages include two Germans, four French and Finnish nationals, a South African couple, a Lebanese, three Malaysians, and two Filipinos.

While the Sulu hostage crisis continues, the one in Basilan has ended, as Abu Sayyaf counterparts freed last week the last three of about 50 hostages taken from two Basilan schools last March.

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