Kidnapping of Ces Drilon, crewmen: Isnajis' bank accounts frozen

MANILA, Philippines - The Court of Appeals (CA) has ordered the bank accounts of Indanan, Sulu Mayor Alvarez Isnaji and his two sons frozen in connection with the kidnapping of ABS-CBN broadcaster Ces Drilon and her two crewmen in June last year.

In a six-page resolution last Tuesday, the CA’s special third division granted the petition of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and prevented any transactions in the bank accounts of Isnaji and his sons Haider and Khan and all related accounts for 20 days.

Covered by the freeze order are all bank accounts of Isnaji – Account No. 371048847 at Land Bank of the Philippines’ Cotabato branch, and Account Nos. 5145076295 and 6708103037 at the Philippine National Bank (PNB).

Also frozen were the bank accounts of Haider (Account No. 5145123676) and Khan (Account No. 514077941) at PNB-Climaco branch in Zamboanga City.

The court granted the freeze order on the basis of an ex-parte petition filed by the AMLC, through the Office of the Solicitor General, despite the lapse of a period of more than one year involving the case.

The CA believes it was possible that the Isnajis might have deposited part of the alleged ransom to their bank accounts after the payment was made for the release of Drilon and her crewmen Jimmyfred Encarnacion and Angelo Valderrama.

The Isnajis were charged for the June 8, 2008 kidnapping of Drilon after a task force of the Department of Justice found probable cause to indict them based on accounts of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group that they seemed to favor the kidnappers over the victims during the negotiations for the latter’s release.

The Isnajis acted as negotiators in the release of Drilon, her two crewmen, and professor Octavio Dinampo from their kidnappers in the hinterlands of Sulu.

According to the DOJ resolution, Drilon’s brother Frank Oreña allegedly paid P5 million to the kidnappers, through Sulu Vice Gov. Lady Ann Sahidula, on June 12, 2008. Isnaji and son Haider allegedly received the amount from Sahidula.

On June 17, 2008, Haider allegedly tasked a certain lawyer Nasser Ynawat to get the balance of the ransom amounting to P15 million.

Haider and his group, accompanied by one Chief Superintendent Kasim and his men, allegedly delivered the sum to the kidnappers in Sitio Danassi, Barangay Lower Sinuman in Talipao, Sulu.