Kidnapped resort owner's family appeals to Aquino

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Philippines – The family of a kidnapped resort and restaurant owner here met with Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo this week and appealed to President Aquino to intercede for the victim’s immediate release.

The children of Filipino-Chinese Hilario de los Santos, alias Larry Font, met with Robredo at the residence of Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar during his visit here and discussed the fate of their father who remains in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf group led by Puruji Indama.

De los Santos’ family appealed to Aquino through Robredo to exhaust safe means for the recovery of the resort owner whose captors have reportedly demanded P20-million ransom.

Before flying to Jolo, Sulu Wednesday, Robredo was asked by reporters about what he discussed with De los Santos’ children, but he refused to give details, except saying that he would give a statement once the case is resolved.

Abu Sayyaf members disguised as agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, snatched De los Santos from his mountain resort in Lanote Bliss in this capital city last Dec. 16.

The resort owner’s children were said to have received calls from a man who introduced himself as a negotiator and asked for P1 million to initiate the negotiations but later reduced the amount to P300,000.

Vice Gov. Al-Rasheed Sakalahul, head of the crisis management committee, however, cautioned De los Santos’ family against dealing with such “negotiators” as this will only complicate the situation. 

Sakalahul said a son of the resort owner called him up and informed him about the demand. 

Sakalahul said though that he has distanced himself from the case to allow the Isabela City government to handle the case itself.

“The more (people) who will try to meddle, the more the Abu Sayaf will increase the (ransom) demand because they will feel the importance of the victim,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sakalahul bewailed criticisms that he allegedly “earned” from his previous efforts to secure the freedom of other kidnap victims.

“How will I earn when I personally used by money and logistics to save the victims and now this is what I received in return? So, I better lie low to avoid being a subject of ridicule,” he said.