Foreigners told: Work with authorities in risky areas

MANILA, Philippines - A week after a Jordanian journalist and his two Filipino companions went missing in Sulu, the military urged foreigners yesterday to coordinate with authorities when visiting areas with security threats.

“It would be better if they seek clearance or at least talk to the commander on the ground for them to be secured while covering something,” Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes said.

“They should have informed us so that we can at least brief them on the risks they will take, whenever they are going to get news from this organization,” he said, referring to the bandit group Abu Sayyaf.

Baker Atyani, a Jordanian journalist who works for Al Arabiya television network, and his Filipino cameramen Ramelito Vela and Roland Letrico were reported missing after they failed to return to their hotel in Jolo, Sulu last Tuesday.

Sulu is considered a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf, a group believed to have links with international terror group al-Qaeda. Abu Sayyaf is believed to have about 400 followers.

Before his disappearance, Atyani was reportedly arranging an interview with a new Abu Sayyaf leader. Local officials reportedly offered him security escorts but he refused.

The Jordanian journalist arrived last June 10 in Zamboanga City where he had an initial interview with a certain Uztad Abdul Baki Abubakar and one Morehi Ibrahim.

Atyani and his companions flew to Sulu the following day to interview Gov. Abu Sakur Tan and Jolo Mayor Hussein Amin.

On June 12, the three left their hotel to do a pre-arranged interview with Yasser Igasan, who is said to be the overall leader of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu. The three are reportedly being held by an Abu Sayyaf unit led by a certain Tahil Sali.

Sali is the son of Usman Sali, former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander whose group was responsible for the massacre of Army troops, including Army Gen. Teodolfo Bautista, father of incumbent Army chief Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, in Busbus, Jolo in 1977.

Coballes said updates on the search for the three journalists will come from Tan. “He (Tan) is the only one who can declare it’s a kidnapping incident,” Coballes said.

“They (missing journalists) did not inform us. We did not monitor them. We don’t know their purpose,” he added.

“There are unconfirmed information and we are verifying it if indeed they are with the group of Yasser Igasan. But so far there is no report yet,” said Police Director Manuel Barcena, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operation Western Mindanao.

“We have tapped the force multiplier in searching for the whereabouts of the foreign journalist and his two companions,” said Senior Superintendent Antonio Freyra, Sulu police director.

Missing, not kidnapped

But as far as Malacañang is concerned, the three journalists can only be considered as missing and not kidnapped.

“You cannot even put the incident in that category yet. They are still considered missing and efforts are being expended to locate them,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

“Kasi noong huli silang nakita (When they were last seen) they voluntarily left their hostel with several persons,” she said over state-run radio dzRB.

“At this point, efforts are being made to locate him (Atyani),” Valte said. “At present, the local government is handling this.”

Security sources on the ground also bared yesterday the journalists were being held by Tahil’s henchmen headed by a certain Absara, a former barangay chairman of Kaunayan in Talipao.

Gov. Tan, who chaired the provincial crisis management committee during the kidnapping of three officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 2009 in the province, has recommended the activation of the Civilian Emergency Forces to help local police and the military seal the potential escape routes of the suspected kidnappers.

Freyra also said they still consider Atyani, Vela and Letrico as “missing” until a group comes out to claim it has seized the three.

He said the police were also looking for the owner of the multicab that Atyani and his crew had used to travel around Jolo.

Freyra said the television crew had even coordinated with Jolo Mayor Hussein Amin to cover the Independence Day celebration last Tuesday in the town.

– Alexis Romero, Delon Porcalla