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Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Kidnappers demand P1M negotiation fee
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Suspected Abu Sayyaf kidnappers of two aid workers in Basilan province, south of Zamboanga City, are demanding P1 million in fees to start negotiations for the release of the captives.
Professor Octavio Dinampo, president of the Mindanao People's Caucus--a civic organization involved in the peace process, said what the kidnappers are asking for is only a "negotiation fee", adding "it is not yet the ransom."
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Held captives for more than two weeks now are Nagdilaab Foundation Incorporated (NFI) program director Esperancita Hupida and Manila-based freelance community development specialist Millet Mendoza.
The Abu Sayyaf bandits seized Hupida and Mendoza in the afternoon of September 15 in the village of Cabangalan in Unkaya Pukan municipality.
The captives were returning to Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province, from Tipo-Tipo where they were implementing a humanitarian project.
Dinampo said the P1 million demand "is only for the purpose of opening the line contact or communication" to start negotiations for the release of Hupida and Mendoza.
The demand was forwarded to the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) headed by Basilan Vice Governor Alrasheed Sakalahul that is tasked to deal with the situation.
Dinampo said the kidnappers are also demanding that two national politicians serve as mediators.
He did not disclose the names of the two politicians but reports coming from Basilan revealed that the kidnappers are asking for Senators Loren Legarda and Francisco Pangilinan.
Legarda was instrumental in working for the release of ABS-CBN senior reporter Ces Drilon, her cameraman Angelo Balderama, assistant cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion, and Dinampo. The four were kidnapped last July 7 in Maimbung, Sulu.
Dinampo said "the locals," referring to the local officials in Basilan, are hesitant to mediate for fear of suffering the same fate as Indanan Mayor Alvarez Isnaji.
Isnaji and his son, Haider, were chosen by the kidnappers to negotiate for the release of Drilon and her companions but ended up in jail and accused as the mastermind of the kidnapping.
Nabil Tan, Presidential Peace Adviser undersecretary, has expressed dismay over the incident.
Tan said aid or non-government organization (NGO) workers should not be kidnapped, citing that "no one would be helping us if aid workers end up kidnap victims."
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (October 1, 2008 issue)
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