Only Robredo can speak on Jordanian - Palace

MANILA, Philippines - Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda clarified yesterday that Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo is the only government official authorized to speak on the case of missing Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani and his two Filipino crewmen.

“Officially – I’m stating categorically – officially, Jesse Robredo will be the lead official to make any update on the Jordanian journalist,” Lacierda told reporters, hoping to avoid further confusion.

Several government officials have been giving conflicting statements regarding the condition of Atyani, Southeast Asia bureau chief of the Dubai-based Al Arabiya, and his Filipino crew Ramelito Vela and Roland Letrico, who were allegedly being held hostage by Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu since June 12.

Robredo said that the three newsmen are hostages while Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin claimed the trio are reported to be moving freely inside the Abu Sayyaf camp.

“At this point, we would not comment on the status of the Jordanian journalist. That is being handled by Secretary Jesse Robredo. We’ll wait for his comments,” Lacierda said.

“We will leave it with Secretary Jesse Robredo because this is primarily a police enforcement issue. So we will leave it with him and statements will be emanating from the DILG,” he added.

“Secretary Robredo has already given instructions to the PNP (Philippine National Police),” Lacierda said.

Gazmin said the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines had reported that the three Al Arabiya staffers “are moving from one camp to the other, from Abu Sayyaf camp to the camp of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).”

“With that, you can easily deduce that they are not captives,” Gazmin had told newsmen.

He stressed, however, that they have no information whether the three were in the company of Abu Sayyaf bandits.

“That (whether Atyani and his crew are guarded by the bandits) is not part of the report,” he said. “The report just states that he is moving around. He couldn’t have transferred from the MNLF camp to the Abu Sayyaf camp if you are a captive.”

Gazmin could not tell what time Atyani and his two cameramen were seen moving from one camp to another. “No time was given but they can transfer from one municipality to the other,” he said.

He said he does not know of any request by Jordan to search for Atyani.

“Our troops are on standby,” he said. “We are ready to move anytime, we are monitoring, we know exactly where they are, where they are moving. If we were ordered to conduct rescue operations, then we will do our part.”

Robredo refuses to speak

Robredo is now tight-lipped on the status of Atyani and his two Filipino companions.

“In the interest of their safety, it’s best that we leave the issue alone at this time,” said Robredo.

Robredo said the local crisis management committee would be dealing with the case of the Al Arabiya television news team.

He, however, said Atyani came to the Philippines on a tourist visa and did not have a work permit.

Authorities have yet to initiate rescue operations for Atyani’s group.

The Jordanian journalist was accused of misleading authorities about his work and schedule.

“Their safety is paramount; let the concerned authorities handle it and talk about it later,” Robredo said in Filipino.

PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome also believes Atyani was not kidnapped.

“Maybe he’s just doing his job somewhere in Sulu,” he said. “Just like you, if you went to a far place to interview someone.”

Bartolome told media in Camp Florendo in San Fernando, La Union that the police are investigating the real situation of Atyani, Vela and Letrico in Sulu.

Quoting information from the ground, Bartolome said Atyani and his cameramen are in one place, not separated as reported.

Reports had claimed Atyani is in the hands of a spiritual leader of Abu Sayyaf, while another armed group holds Vela and Letrico.

Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang said that the bureau had sent a letter to the Foreign Correspondents Association the Philippines (FOCAP) and the International Press Center (IPC) to determine the identity and activities of Atyani.

Mangrobang admitted that they requested for verification or certification from the two media organizations to determine if Atyani is an accredited member of their group.

She explained that “this is a standard operating procedure for Immigration to determine if the foreigner has documentation consistent with the activities he is performing in the country.”

The BI is confirming Atyani’s identity and his claim that he is a journalist.

The FOCAP reportedly clarified that their members consist only of Philippine-based foreign and local journalists working for international news organizations.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the BI has yet to receive a reply from IPC.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Mujiv Hataman ordered Tuesday the ARMM police to compel visiting journalists to get police security escorts and representatives of local government units when they move around secluded areas while conducting news coverage.

“The same protection will be extended for free by the ARMM police to local journalists as well,” Hataman told reporters.

Hataman said reporters may find the security protection too “cumbersome,” but it could help protect them from kidnappers. – With Evelyn Macairan, John Unson