MANILA, Philippines -- Broadcast network ABS-CBN said on Wednesday that it is not paying any ransom for its news team, led by television reporter Ces Drilon, which was kidnapped in Sulu.
"ABS-CBN News will abide by its policy not to pay ransom because this would embolden kidnap for ransom groups to abduct other journalists, putting more lives at risk," the network said in a statement.
"ABS CBN News is doing everything it can help to help the families of its kidnapped journalists [get] through this harrowing ordeal," the statement added.
The statement was released shortly after Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao, police director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), confirmed that negotiations had begun with the abductors of Drilon, cameramen Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama, and their guide, Mindanao State University Professor Octavio Dinampong.
The group went missing in Sulu on Sunday after they were intercepted by an armed group along Kulasi, town of Maimbung.
Police say the abductors are members of the Abu Sayyaf led by Albader Parad and Gapur Jundain, the latter a former member of the Moro National Liberation Front who recently joined the group.
ABS-CBN also asked for prayers and requested other news organizations to "join ABS-CBN News in condemning this unconscionable attack against journalists."
Earlier Goltiao said there was a "great possibility" that the journalist would be freed, but would not say who was involved in the negotiations.
"Negotiations are being conducted," Goltiao said on radio. "There is a great possibility that we will obtain the release of Ces Drilon...but we cannot give an exact date."
Goltiao belied reports that the kidnappers are asking for between $227,000 and $454,000 for the hostages' safe release.
"We are on a no-ransom policy pero [but] during the negotiations, hindi maiwasan [it can’t be helped]," Goltiao told INQUIRER.net in a separate interview.
"We cannot comment much at this point but we are doing our best to recover safely Ces Drilon and her team," he said, noting that they have been receiving reports that Drilon and company are being moved around consistently.
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 media group said the Abu Sayyaf has been responsible for the kidnapping of more than 30 journalists over the years.
"Taking hostages is unacceptable. We call on all those could have any influence over the kidnappers to try to get Drilon and her colleagues released."
Goltiao also said Dinampo is now also considered a “victim.â€
"We treat him [Dinampo] as a victim now because we cannot prove now that he is otherwise," said Goltiao.
Police said initially that they were eyeing Dinampo's links to the Abu Sayyaf, and the possibility that he lured the news team to the bandits.
"Based on the inputs we received, mukhang hindi niya alam [it looks like he didn’t know] about the kidnapping," Goltiao said.(Inquirer.net)
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