Mayor seeks probe of P250M ransom

UNDATED photo from the private terrorism monitor SITE Intelligence Group on Sept. 23 is reported to show members of the Abu Sayyaf who had held captive two German nationals released allegedly after payment of a P250-million ransom. AFP/SITE INTELLIGENCE GROUP

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The mayor of the Sulu capital town Jolo is calling for an investigation of the alleged involvement of government officials in the payment of a P250-million ransom for the release of two German nationals who had been held captive by the crime group Abu Sayyaf, which has links to the international terror network al-Qaida.

Hussin Amin, mayor of Jolo town, said an investigation should be made on where the money for the ransom given for the release of German nationals Stefan Viktor Okonek and Henrike Dielen came from.

The ransom payment was made public by Abu Rami, spokesperson of the Abu Sayyaf, who had said the terror and crime group initially received P60 million in ransom for the two Germans.

The Abu Sayyaf, according to Rami, received the rest of the amount (P190 million) on Oct. 17. Shortly after, Okonek, 71, and Dielen, 55, were freed by their captors.

Rami said a team of negotiators, including top government officials, had delivered the money to the Abu Sayyaf.

The ransom money was delivered to an undisclosed village in Patikul, a town in Sulu and considered as lair of the Abu Sayyaf.

The exchange of hostages and ransom was also done there.

After the hostages were released, Rami called up Radio Mindanao Network in Zamboanga City to say that the Abu Sayyaf had received the money in full. “No more, no less,” said Rami.

Mayor Amin said despite denials made by government officials, including President Aquino, it appears that the people of Sulu “in general believed what Abu Rami had claimed.”

“No less than this Abu Rami confirmed that he received the P250 million, yet the government keeps on saying and reiterating the no ransom policy,” the mayor said.

Amin said that while he personally did not believe that ransom was paid, “more and more people are talking about it in Sulu.”

He said pressure is building up for higher authorities “to take action against government personalities involved in the ransom payment.”

“If it was true, then the government is arming our enemies,” said the mayor.

“These bandits can buy as many firearms (with the money) and they can further endanger our lives. There has to be an investigation,” he added.

Amin said the investigation should be led by Congress.

He said the money spent on ransom could have been used for projects such as roads, bridges and schools.

The investigation has to focus on who shelled out the money, who handed the funds over to the Abu Sayyaf and who really delivered it, Amin added.

These people, he said, should be made to answer.

Retired Chief Insp. Antonio Clarito, who is also a gun enthusiast, told the Inquirer that for P250 million, “(Abu Sayyaf) can acquire about 1,250 pieces of high-end, state of the art weapons for P200,000 each.”

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, told reporters here that he sees no problem in an investigation by Congress.

But he said as far as the military is concerned, the release of the German hostages was the result of “military pressure.”

“Even the Abu Sayyaf complained that their lair was being surrounded by our soldiers during the hostage crisis,” Cabunoc said. Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao