Friday, June 20, 2008 Freed hostage doubts participation of Isnajis in kidnapping
MINDANAO State University Professor Octavio Dinampo has expressed doubts that Indanan Mayor Alvarez Isnaji and his son Jun were in cahoots with the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers who snatched them in the province of Sulu, south of Zamboanga City.
The Abu Sayyaf bandits seized Dinampo, along with ABS-CBN news team headed by senior reporter Ces Oreña-Drilon, last week in Barangay Kulasi, Maimbung, while on the way to conduct interviews for a special coverage.
Dinampo said the insinuation that the Isnajis are involved in the kidnapping has no basis.
He said it was the kidnappers themselves who have chosen Isnaji and his son to negotiate for the release of the hostages.
According to him, the kidnappers have turned down Sulu Vice Governor Lady Ann Sahidula to serve as one of the negotiators despite the insistence of Drilon.
Dinampo served as guide and the one who arranged the interviews of the ABS-CBN news team with some of the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu.
"I heard the abductors requesting assistance naming Mayor Isnaji and son to be some sort of person who they can trust," Dinampo said.
He added: "It is really unfair in the case of Mayor Isnaji and son, who worked more than anybody else, who wanted to help us to get out of there and then later turn into some sort of suspects."
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested Isnaji and his son on Thursday after it was found out that they were allegedly involved in the kidnapping. (Bong Garcia)
