MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) A “sobering experience†was how a television reporter who was freed late Tuesday night by her Abu Sayyaf captors described her nine-day ordeal as she thanked friends and colleagues who prayed for her and apologized to her network for causing a “headache.â€
In a press conference after arriving in Manila from Zamboanga City Wednesday, ABS-CBN’s Ces Drilon expressed relief anew at her safe release and that of her cameramen, Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama, who was abducted with her last June 8, along with Octavio Dinampo, Mindanao State University professor.
But at the same time, Drilon admitted that she had been stubborn and ignored warnings about the danger that she was putting herself and her crew into.
She also said that ABS-CBN only knew “to a certain extent†what story she was pursuing in Mindanao.
"I want to make it clear na [that] my office to a certain extent knew what my story was. [But] may mga [there were] instructions na sinuway ko kasi naging matigas ulo ko [that I ignored because I was stubborn] at one point and I disregarded some warnings. I put the lives of my team in danger, it was a sobering experience," Drilon said upon her arrival shortly after 2 p.m. at the domestic airport.
She also apologized to Encarnacion and Valderama, saying being part of the team, she felt a sense of accountability if anything had happened to them.
"I would like to extend my deepest apologies because as a reporter and my team, I am accountable if anything would happen to them, first to Angel, and then to Jimmy who was about to be beheaded,†said Drilon in Filipino.
Drilon was quoted as telling Legarda in reports that Encarnacion was about to be beheaded at one point during their captivity.
But Drilon said through it all, “we remained solid, we did not blame each other, and we were strong.â€
At one point in the press conference, Drilon broke down and cried as she recounted her ordeal. But she added that they were "generally" treated well although they were tied at one point.
She also apologized to her children, mother, brother, sister, and to Encarnacion’s children, saying she felt “so irresponsible.â€
Drilon reiterated her appreciation to friends and colleagues, especially to Senator Loren Legarda, whom she described as her “lifeline†because it was the lawmaker that had sought her “unconditional release†from her abductors who initially demanded a P15 million ransom.
Drilon also thanked Indanan Mayor Alvarez Isnaji and his son Jun, who had negotiated with the kidnappers from day one.
Drilon admitted that she had no inkling that she would be kidnapped and alleged that someone had betrayed her. She however refused to elaborate because she said she was cooperating with the police in their investigation.
"Thank you for the prayers...and to my ABS-CBN family, sorry if I caused you a headache," Drilon said in Filipino during an interview in Zamboanga City earlier Wednesday.(Inquirer.net)
ORDEAL. Broadcast journalist Cecilia "Ces" Drilon narrates her ordeal during a press
conference in Zamboanga City on June 18, 2008. Drilon and two other hostages
walked out of a forest on Jolo, the southern island where she was held for nine
days shortly before midnight June 17, regional police commander Chief Superintendent
Joel Goltiao said. AFP/JAY DIRECTO
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