PNP doing all efforts to find and rescue ABS-CBN news team

Miami
June 10, 2008
Story: PNP doing all efforts to find and rescue ABS-CBN news team

The Philippine National Police (PNP) still looking for the whereabouts of news reporter and his crew and the professor who invited them.

ABS-CBN Senior reporter Ces Orena-Drilon and her crew Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Villarama was reportedly missing since June 8, 2008. The group were invited by Professor Octavio Dinampo to cover a special event. The event is still unknown. Dinampo was also reportedly missing, he is a professor from Mindanao State University (MSU).

PNP Chief Avelino Razon said he already ordered ARMM Regional Director Joel Goltiao to be on top of the situation in the area. The members of the group who will do the coordination with the abductors are Intelligence division and the PACER (Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response).

Razon also said that they are trying to verify if there were truths on the asked ransom money. “There were reports that they are asking for Php 10 million to Php 30 million. It is not clear on who is asking that is why we are trying to verify everything for the sake of the victims.”

However, Razon is not yet considering the incident as kidnapping, “If there will be a group that will ask for ransom money that will indicate that this is kidnapping, as of this moment, they were missing.”

But, Goltiao had identified the group who is involved in the incident, “Albader Parad, and Gapur Jundain were behind this. Parad is the ASG Commander in Patikul, Sulu,”

As of press time, there were no clear negotiations with the abductors and the crisis management group formed by Goltiao. He said, “We are after the safe recovery of the victims, that is what we are thinking right now.”

Razon said that they are closely coordinating with ABS-CBN to know what Drilon and company will have to do in Sulu. He also said they are receiving some information, but they are not in liberty to tell it until everything is confirmed or cleared.

Drilon and company arrived in Sulu last Friday June 7, 2008 at around 2:45 pm then proceeded to Sulu State College Hostel Capitol in Patikul Sulu. On June 8, they were last seen on board a yellow Toyota Tamaraw.

Upon reaching the vicinity of Bgy. Kulasi, Maimbung Sulu, they were believed to be flagged down by the group of ASG and allegedly brought to Bgy. Karawan, Indanan, Sulu.

With what happened now with Drilon and company, the police appeals to the media whenever they wil go to Sulu, they should have coordinate with the military or policemen to escort them in the are to avoid being abducted.

Goltiao said on the latest report that they received, the group is keep on moving from one place to another, but they are still in the same town.