June 21, 2008, The Philippine Star, Isnaji pocketed P3 M – PNP, by Cecille Suerte Felipe,

June 21, 2008, The Philippine Star, Isnaji pocketed P3 M – PNP, by Cecille Suerte Felipe,

 

Indanan Mayor Alvarez Isnaji, arrested for the kidnapping of ABS-CBN news anchor Ces Oreña-Drilon and three others, kept most of the P5-million initial ransom while pretending to negotiate their release from Abu Sayyaf bandits, Philippine National Police chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. said yesterday.

 

Razon said a police undercover agent saw Isnaji and his son Haider handling the P5 million delivered to their home by a brother of Drilon to buy her freedom and those of her crew and guide.

 

During the nine-day hostage ordeal, the mayor publicly warned authorities that the gunmen had threatened to behead the captives if a ransom was not paid.

 

Razon said police intelligence officer Senior Superintendent Winnie Quidato personally witnessed Isnaji taking P3 million from the ransom money and leaving the rest for the kidnappers.

 

Quidato introduced himself to Isnaji as an officer of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

 

"Quidato was sent to Jolo in a covert operation after we received information that the leader of kidnap for ransom is a certain Larin-larin. This info came from local sources, and piecing together these information, (we found out) Larin-larin is the alias of Isnaji," Razon said.

 

"We consider him (Isnaji) as the leader of the kidnap group," Razon told a news conference.

 

Abu Sayyaf kidnappers freed Drilon, cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion and Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo before midnight last Tuesday after nine days in captivity. A fourth hostage, Angelo Valderama, was released earlier. Authorities and ABS-CBN said no ransom was paid. But sources said more than P30 million changed hands.

 

Philippine Ambassador to Britain Edgardo Espiritu, an uncle of Drilon's, confirmed over radio station dzMM the payment of ransom, saying that their family had to raise the money to ensure that his niece and her crew would be released safely.

 

At a press briefing, Razon showed two pictures of the Isnajis counting the money, with the undercover agent and provincial Vice Gov. Lady Ann Sahidullah serving as witnesses.

 

Quidato will testify that P2 million was given to the gunmen while the mayor kept P3 million, Razon said.

 

The money has not been recovered, he added.

 

The mayor and his son, who the elder Isnaji had described as his personal emissary to the kidnappers, were arrested Wednesday. They are now in the heavily guarded PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame. The two will undergo preliminary investigation on Monday at 1:30 p.m.

 

Their lawyer, Ernesto Francisco, said his clients were innocent and being prosecuted for "political reasons." Isnaji is eyeing the governorship of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Police also released yesterday artist’s sketches of the 13 kidnappers.

 

Razon said three of the 13 Abu Sayyaf gunmen who held Drilon’s group were blood relatives of the mayor.

 

The gunmen released Valderama on June 12 after the mayor said he paid P100,000 in "board and lodging" fees to the kidnappers.

 

The mayor said a similar amount was later paid to secure the release of the rest of the group.

 

But Razon said the police were investigating reports that another shipment of ransom money was flown by private plane to Jolo after June 12, resulting in the release of the remaining three hostages.

 

Isnaji said at the time that Sen. Loren Legarda, a friend of Drilon’s who is widely expected to run for president in the 2010 election, had helped him secure their freedom.

 

"We cannot fault the (Drilon) family for doing everything to bring back their loved one," Razon said.

 

At Malacañang, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza assured the Isnajis that they would be accorded due process.

 

“If he has done nothing wrong then he will be freed. Due process is provided for under the Constitution,” Dureza said.

 

"He may be implicated now but he will still be presumed innocent until proven otherwise by a competent court of law," he added.

 

Abu Sayyaf's choice

 

Razon said it was the government which tapped Sahidullah as negotiator, unlike Isnaji who was the Abu Sayyaf's handpicked emissary.

 

Later, Isnaji was reportedly communicating with Drilon’s family without coordinating with Sahidullah.

 

Razon said the P5-million ransom brought to Sulu by Drilon’s brother Frank was intended for the release of all the hostages but it only bought the freedom of Valderama.

 

"Both (Isnaji father and son) had actively negotiated for the kidnappers’ benefit in the ransom negotiations and the subsequent payment," Director Silverio Alarcio Jr., chief of the Directorate for Operation, said in a power point presentation of the events concerning the kidnapping.

 

“It was established that Isnaji only delivered P2 million to the abductors and kept the remaining balance. It was gathered that the mayor and his son had persistently applied pressure on the family of the victims for the delivery of the remaining ransom money for the release of the other hostages still held in captivity,” said Alarcio.

 

While Quidato admitted knowledge of the P5-million initial ransom, the police official couldn't say if the kidnappers received a P15 million ransom, Razon said.

 

Isnaji arrest backlash belittled

 

DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno said he is confident the government can handle any backlash from Isnaji's arrest. The town mayor is a former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) guerrilla.

 

Puno was reacting to concerns raised by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez regarding "complications" that may result from Isnaji's arrest.

 

"The complications that are being talked about will not pose a problem," Puno said in an interview on radio dzMM.

 

"It's true that he is a VIP, an MNLF member and all. For me, those are the very reasons that he should have acted accordingly. He has a responsibility not only for Indanan residents but also for the Muslim residents in southern Philippines," Puno added.

 

Senators back Isnaji trial

 

Senators are in favor of investigating Isnaji for his possible involvement in kidnapping.

 

"Let the law take its course, let the investigation continue and punish the guilty. But at the same time, the Isnajis must be given a lawyer and a chance to defend themselves," Legarda said.

 

Sen. Francis Escudero, for his part, said the investigation must continue even if it means offending certain political groups.

 

But for Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, evidence against the Isnajis must be airtight or authorities might be accused of harassment.

 

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said he welcomes an investigation of the matter but expressed doubts about the official statement that no ransom was paid.

 

"If there is anyone who knows if ransom is being paid in incidents like this, it is the kidnappers and the negotiators. Of course, nobody will admit that," Biazon said.

 

"All these people who might be participants in this scheme, there is a need for government to investigate this," Biazon said.

 

Lawyer, TV crew guide may face probe

 

Sulu provincial police director Senior Supt. Julasirim Kasim said there are indications that a guide tapped by the ABS-CBN team for its rendezvous with Abu Sayyaf leader Radullan Sahiron was in cahoots with the kidnappers.

 

Kasim said Juamil “Mameng” Biyaw gave inconsistent information to police investigating the kidnapping.

 

"No less than the statement of the driver disclosed that Biyaw misled them and the group of Drilon," Kasim said.

 

Marine Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban said they turned over Biyaw to the CIDG regional office in Zamboanga City.

 

Dinampo, in an interview with ABS-CBN, also voiced his belief that Biyaw betrayed them.

 

He said he saw Biyaw join a group of gunmen who stopped the ABS-CBN team.

 

Meanwhile, Western Mindanao Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director, Senior Superintendent Jose Pante said they are trying to locate lawyer Nasser Inawat to make him explain allegations that he interceded for the release of bags containing cash at the Jolo airport on Tuesday.

 

Inawat is a former ARMM regional assemblyman and board member of the Sulu Grand Mosque.

 

The huge amount of cash was reportedly unloaded from a chartered SeaAir plane that flew in from Zamboanga airport. With Jaime Laude, Roel Pareño, Mike Frialde, John Unson, Edith Regalado, Marvin Sy, and Aurea Calica