Ces Drilon, TV Reporter Kidnapped By Abu Sayyaf In Sulu Philippines – Updated

If this is your first time visiting National Terror Alert you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. The National terror Alert feed features breaking news, alerts and bulletins on demand and it's free of charge..
You will only see this message on your first visit to the site. Thanks for visiting!

Ces Drilon Updates Have Moved Here

Well-known television reporter Ces Drilon and two of her crew have been abducted while pursuing a story in the southernmost province Sulu by armed men believed to members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group, police officials said.

ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. said in a statement that Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama were “missing in Sulu” and that “all efforts are underway to find them and bring them home.”

Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao, police regional director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said Drilon and the two crew members were intercepted Sunday in Maimbung, a township in the Sulu capital Jolo, by armed men under Albader Parad, an Abu Sayyaf leader in the area.

Goltiao said the TV news team flew to Mindanao on Saturday on the invitation of Mindanao State University Professor Octavio Dinampo “to cover a special event.”

Drilon was to interview the Abu Sayyaf, Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon told INQUIRER.net.

Goltiao said that Dinmapo picked up Drilon and her crew from a university hostel and that armed men, identified as being under Parad’s command, intercepted them as their vehicle passed through Kulasi village.

“Along the way in Kulasi, Maimbung, Sulu, they were intercepted by an armed group and now they are held in captivity,” said Goltiao. He said the group was brought to Indanan town in Sulu.

He initially identified the abductors as Albader Parad, an Abu Sayyaf member, and Gapur Jundain, a former member of the erstwhile separatist Moro National Liberation Front who recently joined the extremist group.

“We are closely monitoring with ABS-CBN as well as the military commander and the PNP Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao Regional director,” said Razon.

“We are assisting them for the safe return of Ces that’s why we don’t highlight the situation,” he added, noting that they had no idea yet of Drilon’s whereabouts.

Source – Read More

UPDATE: Police in the Philippines say a Filipina television reporter and her crew who were abducted at the weekend are alive and well.

The group, kidnapped in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao in the country’s south, are said to being treated fairly by their captors.

Or reporter Shirley Escalante reports from Manila that the regional police director, Joel Goltiao, says television reporter Ces Drilon and her two crew members are being fed and are allowed to move around the camp where they are being held, but are escorted.

He says Ms Drilon and her crew were travelling in Sulu province on Sunday to cover a story when they were intercepted by armed men believed to belong to the Abu Sayyaf.

Ms Drilon and her crew were being guided by a Mindanao university professor when they were intercepted, and he has also been reported missing.

The men are said to be under Abu Sayyaf leader Albader Parad.

Police are also verifying reports that the armed group is asking for a $US223,000 ransom.

UPDATE: There is a report that Prof. Dinampo has been released (as of 2:30 p.m., Prof. Dinampo’s family says the professor has not been released)

Source

UPDATE: It is being reported that Drilon went to Jolo on Saturday to interview Abu Sayyaf leaders but refused any police or military security.

No ransom demand has been made public, but unconfirmed reports say the kidnappers are asking for between 227,000 and 454,000 dollars for their safe release.

UPDATE: President Arroyo has instructed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to locate and secure the group of ABS-CBN journalist Ces Orena-Drilon.

“The President has already instructed the PNP and the military to exhaust all means to locate Ces Drilon and her companions in the soonest possible time.

UPDATE: 06/12/08 – Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) Holding Ces and TV Crew

A Malaysian Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) bomb expert with a $5-million bounty on his head is holding broadcast journalist Ces Oreña-Drilon and her two cameramen in a remote jungle base of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, military sources said yesterday.

Authorities, meanwhile, have begun negotiations with the kidnappers for the release of Drilon, a reporter of ABS-CBN News, and cameramen Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama. Police said on Tuesday that the terrorists had released Drilon’s guide, Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo.

In a statement, ABS-CBN finally admitted that the group had been kidnapped. The network ruled out paying ransom.

“ABS-CBN News is doing everything it can to help the families of its kidnapped journalists through this harrowing ordeal,” it said.

“However, ABS-CBN News will abide by its policy not to pay ransom because this would embolden kidnap-for-ransom groups to abduct other journalists, putting more lives at risk.”

It was earlier reported that the terrorists were demanding a $10-million ransom.

Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan said a crisis management team has been formed to negotiate with the rebels. It was not clear if it was the same group that has begun talks with the extremist group. Tan said no group has yet claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said a crisis management committee has designated a negotiator to work for the release of the journalists.

“The negotiator is somebody who has better grasp of the area,” said Bartolome. “The negotiator has started to locate groups or individuals who could help us locate Drilon’s group.”

A military source who declined to be named said Malaysian JI bomb expert Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan and Abu Sayyaf leaders Umbra Jumdail alias Dr. Abu Pula, Albader Parad, and a certain Jimla and Albi were holding the missing journalists

“As of now Ces and her crew are with Abu Pula and Zulkifli Marwan and other Abu Sayyaf militants in the jungle base,” the source said.

A US-trained engineer, Zulkipfli of Muar, Johor in Malaysia is principal suspect in many bombing attacks in the Philippines where he has been in hiding since August 2003 and training Islamic militants in handling explosive devices.

The US government placed a $5-million reward for his capture.

Source

Additional

Ces Drilon Kidnapping Underscores the Dangers of Going After the … Ces Drilon is a veteran broadcast journalist who has been at the center of many an unfolding news story, often under perilous circumstances. She was first on the scene during the failed putsch and siege of the Manila Peninsula in …

Palace hopes for safety of Ces Drilon’s group – Malacañang on Tuesday said it was praying for the safety of the group of broadcast journalist Cecilla Victoria ‘Ces’ Oreña-Drilon and professor Octavio Dinampo who have been reported missing in Sulu province.

MSU Professor Also Abducted With Ces Drilon The story has now grown bigger with a non-governmental group saying the Mindanao State University professor earlier said to have “invited”journalist Ces Drilon to “cover an event” in Mainbung, Sulu” has actually been abducted along with …

UPDATED ABS-CBN STATEMENT ON CES DRILON ABS-CBN OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON CES DRILON:. Three ABS-CBN journalists Ces Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion, and Angelo Valderama are missing in Sulu. All efforts are underway to find them and bring them home. Until we learn more details, …