MANILA, Philippines--Ransom of P5 million was paid for the release of ABS-CBN reporter Ces Oreña-Drilon and her crew, and the chief negotiator for their release pocketed P3 million of the amount, Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon said Friday.

Hours after Razon's announcement, Edgardo B. Espiritu, Philippine ambassador to the United Kingdom and a brother of Drilon's mother, said his family had paid the P5-million ransom for her release.

But the ransom money may be a whole lot bigger.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez told reporters his office had received information that "a second payment of P15 million which was contained in two duffel bags" was made to the kidnappers..

Gonzalez said the P15 million "came from concerned groups."

Razon made the announcement about the P5 million at a press conference, quoting from an affidavit issued by Senior Supt. Winnie Quidato, the acting chief of the PNP Intelligence Group who, Razon said, worked "undercover" on the kidnapping case.

He said Quidato had "first-hand personal knowledge" of the delivery of the P5-million ransom to the chief negotiator, Mayor Alvarez Isnaji of Indanan, Sulu, and the delivery of the P2-million cut to the kidnappers of Drilon, her cameramen Angelo Valderama and Jimmy Encarnacion, and Mindanao peace advocate Octavio Dinampo.

In an interview with dzMM radio, Ambassador Espiritu said the family had no choice but to put up a ransom because he and his sister could not bear the thought of something happening to Drilon.

"This was too heavy a burden for us," Espiritu said, adding that both he and his sister were hospitalized during his niece's captivity.

"The money we raised was not only for Ces but for the three [others] who all had families. The [payment was made on condition that the other] three would return safely," he said.

'Can't fault them'

Quoting from the statements of Quidato and PNP investigators, Razon said the P5 million was delivered to Mayor Isnaji by Drilon's brother, Frank Oreña, on June 12, just before cameraman Valderama was released.

The kidnappers then asked for P15 million more, Razon said. Whether this demand was met is still the subject of investigation, he said, adding that the report of the June 17 arrival in Jolo of two duffel bags on board a Seair plane was being looked into.

"We cannot fault the Oreña family for doing everything to bring back their loved one," Razon said.

He said the PNP came to know of the ransom payment only when Quidato returned and filed his report.

Razon also said the PNP had yet to recover the money and was still looking into the possibility of filing charges against those who had provided the ransom.

Since news of the June 8 kidnapping broke and until after the rest of the captives were released on June 17, both the government and the ABS-CBN network stressed that they were keeping to a no-ransom policy.

ABS-CBN on Friday desisted from commenting on the latest developments, saying it preferred to give way to the investigation being conducted by the PNP.

Profuse thanks

Ambassador Espiritu was profuse in thanking the government, Sen. Loren Legarda, PNP chief Razon, and Secretary Puno, as well as those who offered prayers for the release of Drilon et al.

"We will always be indebted to them for their help," he said.

Espiritu, who served as finance secretary during the Estrada administration, took time to deny a circulating text message that he had criticized Legarda for using Drilon's kidnapping to gain media mileage and boost her run for the presidency in 2010.

By her own account, Legarda called on her contacts and negotiated with the kidnappers to bring about the captives' unconditional release.

"I am not an ingrate. I thank Loren for her help. I hope that these ugly things being thrown against her would not come out. She does not deserve these criticisms," Espiritu said.

Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., a cousin of Espiritu's, said he did not get a call from the ambassador to contribute to any ransom.

"I was not aware of [the ransom]. Maybe they raised it on their own," he said.

Despite the PNP and Espiritu's confirmation that ransom was paid for the captives' release, Legarda insisted that she had no knowledge of it.

She also dismissed the text message that assailed her "gall," saying: "They should be man enough to tell these things to the public and not hide behind these text messages. Where were they during the entire time when Ces and Jimmy were being held in captivity?"

Pictures

Razon presented pictures of the money being counted in Isnaji's house in Indanan on June 12. The mayor, his son Haider, Sulu Vice Gov. Lady Ann Sahidulla (who represented the captives' families in the negotiations), and Quidato were in the pictures.

"These pictures show Alvarez counting the money initially given for the release of Ces. But in the end it was Valderama who was released," Razon said.

But the Isnajis' lawyer, Ernesto Francisco, dismissed the pictures as inconsequential: "If that is proof of kidnapping, then all of them should be charged, then all of them did pocket a portion of the money. Those were just pictures. [The money was] just being counted. If you are a negotiator, shouldn't you count it in the presence of others?"

Francisco also said the PNP claim that Isnaji had taken part of the ransom was "illogical and absurd."

"They are just relying on what Winnie Quidato said. If you go over the affidavit, [you will see that] Mayor Isnaji and son were involved in the negotiations. They were instrumental in the release [of Drilon et al.]," he said.

'DILG employee'

Razon said Quidato had managed to penetrate Mayor Isnaji's party by introducing himself as a civilian employee of the Department of Interior and Local Government sent to Sulu to take part in the negotiations.

"He was able to observe the [actions] of Mayor Isnaji and his son. [Quidato said] what the mayor paid the kidnappers was P2 million, and the P3 million he retained for himself," Razon said, adding: "He knew for a fact that P2 million was paid to the group. He just did not see the payoff."

In a visual presentation for reporters, Razon and other PNP officials said the Isnaji father and son had "actively negotiated for the kidnappers' benefit in the ransom negotiations and the subsequent payment."

"Both acted as emissaries [for the kidnappers] rather than for the government in the release of the hostages," the PNP said.

It said the Isnajis were "in constant communication with the kidnappers and even directed the negotiation for the delivery and payment of the P5-million ransom."

The PNP also said the Isnajis "persistently applied pressure" on the captives' families "for the delivery of the remaining ransom money for the release of the other hostages still being held."

'Strong evidence'

Secretary Gonzalez said Quidato's sworn testimony and the photos and video showing Isnaji counting the ransom money constituted strong evidence to pin the mayor and his son on kidnapping charges.

He said the video was in Sulu Vice Governor Sahidulla's keeping.

"Our information states that Isnaji took about P3 million, with the P2 million going to the Abu Sayyaf. We have interesting photos and videos showing him counting the ransom money," Gonzalez told reporters.

He said he did not know whether Isnaji had a share in the final payment of P15 million."

No bail

Gonzalez said the evidence gathered by prosecutors indicated the possibility that Isnaji had "greater participation" in the abduction as well.

He said the police and military also had the captives' location "pinpointed all the time."

"They knew the exact sitio where Ces and her crew were kept. They were prevented from acting only on the request of the negotiator," he said.

Gonzalez also said the Isnajis could no longer post bail because they have been charged with a nonbailable offense.

Kidnapping-for-ransom charges were filed against the Isnajis and at least 14 others the other night.

Puno

But in a phone interview, lawyer Francisco said the PNP's evidence against his clients was weak.

He reiterated Isnaji's earlier disclosure to Inquirer Mindanao--that it was Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno who had instructed the mayor to continue negotiating with the kidnappers. (Puno has dismissed this claim as "hilarious.")

He said this took place when Chief Supt. Joel Goltiao, police director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, called Isnaji and then passed the phone to Puno.

"Puno told the mayor to continue negotiating," Francisco said. "And when the hostages were released, the mayor received praise."

Francisco said the PNP had known all along about the payment of the ransom through Quidato.

"They knew all about the delivery of the first P5 million, as well as the last part of the ransom," the lawyer said, adding that on June 17, Haider Isnaji delivered the ransom escorted by his father's security as well as policemen sent by Quidato and Goltiao.

Francisco said it was unfair that the mayor was now being tagged the mastermind of the kidnapping when all he did was to negotiate with the abductors.

"In his affidavit, Quidato claims that Mayor Isnaji repeatedly told him that he [Isnaji] pocketed part of the ransom money. Isn't it illogical and contrary to human experience that the mayor could confess such a thing to someone he met for the first time, especially since he is a candidate for ARMM governor?" Francisco said.

Asked who had hired him to serve as the Isnajis' legal counsel, Francisco said it was "someone in the government." He refused to elaborate.

Sahidulla

Malacañang is standing by the PNP's "initial report" linking the Isnajis to the kidnapping of Drilon et al., with Press Secretary Jesus Dureza saying: "Let the normal course of law take its own course."

Asked at a press conference if Sulu Vice Governor Sahidulla was as culpable as the Isnajis, Dureza said: "I can't make that determination."

But he quickly added: "Personal opinion, I don't think she is a suspect."

This is why she left in a huff after things went wrong, Dureza said. "I talked with her on the phone and she said she [didn't like] what was going on at the time, so she left for Davao."

He added that it was for "purposes of transparency" that Sahidulla asked someone to videotape the delivery of the P5-million ransom.

Dureza maintained that the Palace was not changing its tune on the matter of ransom payments.

Palace not admitting it knew about ransom

"The government is not admitting [that it knew the payment of ransom]. It is disclosing the evidence that it has about the payment of ransom. As far as the government is concerned, we have not paid a single centavo of that money," he said.

Asked who had put up the ransom, Dureza said: "I am not privy to where the money came from."

He added: "As far as Malacañang is concerned, our position is, let the evidence be provided. And if anyone like Mayor Isnaji and his son or anybody else are connected with sufficient evidence to the commission of a crime, then the normal course of law will take its course.