At least P5 M paid Ces

MANILA, Philippines – ABS-CBN news anchor Ces Oreña-Drilon confirmed yesterday that at least P5 million in ransom was paid for the release of cameraman Angelo Valderama last June 12.

Drilon was kidnapped on June 8 with Valderama, cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion and Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo in Sulu.

The news anchor could not say for sure if Indanan town Mayor Alvarez Isnaji and his son Haider were involved in the kidnapping.

“I could not tell because the kidnappers would converse in Tausug. I would ask the professor what they were talking about and he would say it was more like they were just conveying their demands,” she said.

She declined to comment on reports that a total of up to P30 million in ransom was paid to free her, Encarnacion and Dinampo.

In an exclusive interview  with The Philippine STAR in her hospital room at the Medical City in Pasig, Drilon said the kidnappers told them that they had chosen Isnaji to negotiate because the Abu Sayyaf “knew his family and if he betrayed them they would kill all of them.”

 “I didn’t feel something fishy was happening, although the police say they have evidence,” Drilon said.

She said that after a series of meetings, the kidnappers decided to release Valderama as a compromise to their original demand of P10 million in exchange for his life. They had earlier threatened to behead the cameraman.

Drilon said Dinampo talked to the kidnappers with the proposal that if P10 million was raised, one hostage would be freed and if P5 million was raised, the ultimatum would be extended.

“This is what happened: There was a P10-million ultimatum, but there was no money,” says Drilon. “It was almost midnight when they agreed to lift the ultimatum. That morning, Angel finished a whole pack of cigarettes, he was so pale, he kept looking at the picture of his kids. He told me, ‘Bahala ka na sa kanila kung ano man ang mangyari sa akin.’ I was telling him, the money will come.”

In the afternoon of June 11 when Vice Gov. Lady Ann Sahidullah, who was negotiating on behalf of the Drilon family, told the kidnappers that “all my family had was P2 million, they went berserk, they were so angry. Then somebody took Jimmy’s camera and said, ‘Panggatong na lang ito.’ They tied both Angelo and Jimmy and made them kneel on the mud. They said to Angelo that if the money didn’t come, they would behead him and make Jimmy film the beheading.”

According to Drilon, one of the Abu commanders that held them captive said Mayor Isnaji confirmed that there was P5 million and asked them that as a sign of goodwill, they should release one hostage, and the kidnappers decided it would be Valderama.

“In fact, we thought that the next day we would also be released,” she said.

Drilon would not confirm that P30 million was paid for her release, as well as the two others. “I can only speak as far as Angel is concerned, that there was a ransom. For our own release, it was Loren Legarda who talked to them.”

A day after they were kidnapped, Drilon was taken from her group and told that her supposed interview with Abu commander Radulan Sahiron “was now a kidnap for ransom” and was instructed to call her bosses at ABS-CBN.  She called up ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs head Maria Ressa and said, “Maria, you’re on speakerphone. I’m so sorry, I’m being held for ransom. I defied Chari (Villa).” Villa is head of the station’s newsgathering team and Drilon’s boss. She had earlier instructed Drilon not to proceed with the interview with Sahiron and to give her camera and questionnaire to Dinampo, “but then the Professor showed up in our dorm and he said, ‘Let’s go, the jeep’s there.’”

Drilon said when the kidnappers told her she was being held for P20 million, she tried to bargain with them to lower the price. “I said that was too high. I said, P10 million na lang.”

All throughout their 10-day captivity in the jungles, she said they would walk for hours in the darkness, under heavy rain and knee-high mud to go from one camp to another. “The one who would interpret the commander’s instructions seemed to be the one in charge. He was called Commander Tek or Commander Hals. His right arm was amputated, which he took pains to hide from us in the beginning. He was wearing a camouflage raincoat so we could not see that he was one-armed. I only realized it when we were in the camp.”

Drilon said the kidnapping made her realize that “the story is not everything.”