The release of Ces Drilon and her cameraman after 10 harrowing days in captivity has triggered a lot of questions whether or not ransom was paid in exchange for the hostages' freedom.There's no doubt anymore that money did exchange hands, albeit in small amounts, since according to Secretary Ermita, a "token amount" ranging from PhP2,000 to PhP10,000 may have been given to the kidnappers. Earlier, the Isnaji father and son tandem who acted as negotiators and emissary FOR the bandits admitted paying PhP100,000 to cover "board & lodging" expenses of the kidnapped crew.
This board & lodging explanation by the younger Isnaji is ridiculous. There's no hot water and air conditioning in the jungle. The more plausible explanation is that the amount served as down payment, a gesture of reassurance that ransom will certainly be paid. (This is only my view, so don't arrest me.)
And there's one item that really struck me as strange: the Isnajis were negotiating ON BEHALF of the Abu Sayyaf. They were appointed by the bandits to act as negotiators. True enough, both are now tagged as suspects. I have mentioned in a previous entry that bandits, extremists, local officials and law enforcers are kith and kin in these areas. I mean, Indanan town near Jolo has a small population, everybody knew everyone else. The Abu Sayyaf probably even helped the local officials win their posts. So yeah, the Isnajis have a lot of explaining to do.
This board & lodging explanation by the younger Isnaji is ridiculous. There's no hot water and air conditioning in the jungle. The more plausible explanation is that the amount served as down payment, a gesture of reassurance that ransom will certainly be paid. (This is only my view, so don't arrest me.)
And there's one item that really struck me as strange: the Isnajis were negotiating ON BEHALF of the Abu Sayyaf. They were appointed by the bandits to act as negotiators. True enough, both are now tagged as suspects. I have mentioned in a previous entry that bandits, extremists, local officials and law enforcers are kith and kin in these areas. I mean, Indanan town near Jolo has a small population, everybody knew everyone else. The Abu Sayyaf probably even helped the local officials win their posts. So yeah, the Isnajis have a lot of explaining to do.
While police and the Palace deny claims that ransom was paid, an unscheduled commercial airline flight of SEA Air was spotted by a GMA TV camera taxiing on the tarmac of Jolo's airport. The lone passenger was reported to be a lawyer carrying two duffel bags which was immediately handed over to a military official and loaded onto a pick up. What was so "special" about the contents of those bags that a special flight had to be arranged so that it can be delivered "express?"
Your guess is as good as mine. If the bags contained the ransom money, then the government's strategy in dealing with this ordeal becomes very clear: securing the safety of the hostages first by paying ransom and pursuing the manhunt shortly thereafter, sort of a Pay Now, Bomb Later policy.
Given the military's dismal track record in tracking down and subduing the bandits who know the terrain and the sea around them very well (they can easily escape to Malaysia), the end doesn't seem to be in sight.
Given the military's dismal track record in tracking down and subduing the bandits who know the terrain and the sea around them very well (they can easily escape to Malaysia), the end doesn't seem to be in sight.
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