Biyaw will include as suspect on kidnapping ABS-CBN news team, says CIDG

Miami
July 9, 2008
Story: Biyaw will include as suspect on kidnapping ABS-CBN news team, says CIDG

The guide who also made a schedule for the ABS-CBN news team to interview the Abu Sayyaf leader will now be include as suspect for the kidnapping case happened in Sulu, according to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Juamil “Mameng” Biyaw, will be considered as suspect after Mindanao State University Professor Octavio Dinampo filed a supplemental; affidavit saying that some relatives of Biyaw is a member of ASG and he was the one who made schedule possible for an interview.

“By his admission, he admitted that he was the one who guided the ABS-CBN news team to Indanan, Sulu and was the one who arranged the meeting at the Adjid river near Indanan. Ffor that we would include him also as a suspect and as participant in the kidnapped for ransom,” Coronel said. He added that it would depend now in the Department of Justice if Biyaw will be a state witness.

At first, Biyaw was considered by the PNP as witness because he saw how the armed men get the victims and according to Biyaw, he was asked by the armed group to leave the area.

Meanwhile, Sr. Supt. Joel Coronel of the CIDG said that they are also looking on the supplemental affidavit filed by Dinampo last Monday, July 7, during the preliminary investigation.

“We are reviewing the supplemental affidavit, actually its the third affidavit submitted by Dinampo, and we are determining the inconsistencies with those he had previously given to us, and at present, we are evaluating his statements and if we find any inconsistency in his affidavit, we might consider him as a suspect also in the kidnapping case,” Coronel said.

Coronel also clarified that the statements of the victims Ces Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama does not directly says that Mayor Alvarez Isnaji and his son Haider “as their immediate captors and responsible for kidnapping.”

He added, it is the statement of Drilon, established Isnaji designated as negotiators by the kidnappers, “it was clearly shown that the isnajis never acted for the interest of the hostages and in fact, it would appear that he was negotiating for the increase in ransom payment rather than the safe release of the hostages.”

During the last preliminary investigation, Drilon said that they really want Biyaw to be accused as one of the suspect because they felt he is the one who betrayed them that lead to their kidnapping.

Drilon also said that it is the they do not really know the participation of the Isnajis but when they were there at the mountains during their captivity she can feel Isnaji is more concern on the ransom demand than their safe release.

Coronel said that they are prepared for the scheduled clarificatory questioning on Friday, July 11, 2008.