'Abus demanded medical aid in exhange for teachers' release'

IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines – A government security official who took part in the negotiations for the release of the three teachers held captive by the Abu Sayyaf confirmed yesterday that the bandits had made demands.

Police provincial commander Senior Superintendent Federico Castro said the Abu Sayyaf demanded medical attention for their wounded comrades in exchange for the release of the three teachers.

Castro, however, stressed that no ransom was paid despite the initial demand of P20 million that was subsequently dropped to P10 million for the safe release of the hostages.

“If we remember, there are so many of them wounded during the recent offensive by the (military’s) Task Force Trillium and the Abu Sayyaf were running out of medicine,” Castro told a news conference here.

The teacher colleagues of former hostages Jocelyn Inion, Jocelyn Enriquez and Noemi Mandi also confirmed the bandits demanded medical relief for their wounded in exchange for their release.

Sources from Basilan where the three teachers were recovered by the military and police on Tuesday, on the other hand, claimed some P4-million ransom was paid.

Castro said they were able to tap a “respected leader” in Basilan who helped them convince the kidnappers to release the three teachers.

Castro revealed that during their initial negotiation, they were able to convince the bandits to allow the safe release of the three teachers by pointing out the continuing police and military offensives against them and citing the spirit of Ramadan.

He said the condition of the hostages also prompted the bandits to free them.

“It looked like a burden for them, thus the release,” Castro said.

Castro said Mandi had suffered stress during her captivity and was not seen during the news conference since she was reportedly confined for medical treatment.

The three teachers of Bangkaw-Bangkaw Elementary School were held by the Abu Sayyaf after they were snatched in Naga town in Zamboanga Sibugay last March.

Enriquez said during the six months of captivity, the bandits constantly threatened the teachers with beheading if the ransom demand was not met.

“I thought that the end was near and we will be beheaded. But I prayed hard because it is only God who gave us this life and it is He alone that can take it,” Enriquez said.

Inion, for her part, said they were getting weaker by the day and thought that it was already over for them.

The two teachers said they would still continue their teaching profession but in a safer place.

Western Mindanao Police director Chief Superintendent Angelo Sunglao said the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf would continue despite the release of the three teachers.

Sunglao said the teachers would, for the meantime, be placed under tactical debriefing to determine the identities of their kidnappers.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said the release of three public school teachers in Basilan has given the military a wider opportunity to run after the bandit group.

Brawner said the military could now redirect their resources to efforts to track down the remaining Abu Sayyaf leaders and their followers in Basilan and Sulu provinces.

“Although there were efforts to track them down before, some of our resources that were used to locate the kidnapped teachers and other former hostages could now be utilized to hunt down the personalities,” he said.

Brawner said the AFP is looking into the possibility of realigning elite troops to the Sulu archipelago to sustain the momentum in the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf. – With James Mananghaya