(CMFR/IFEX) – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have denied the existence of a military intelligence report allegedly claiming that P2 million (US$40,000) in ransom was paid for the release of television reporter Arlyn de la Cruz on 27 April 2002, with the help of a Philippine senator. The “BusinessWorld” newspaper quoted Lt. Col. […]
(CMFR/IFEX) – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have denied the existence of a military intelligence report allegedly claiming that P2 million (US$40,000) in ransom was paid for the release of television reporter Arlyn de la Cruz on 27 April 2002, with the help of a Philippine senator.
The “BusinessWorld” newspaper quoted Lt. Col. Jose Cristino Z. Mabanta, AFP’s chief information officer, as saying, “The [AFP] would like to categorically deny the existence of any report confirming that ransom amounting to P2 million or in any amount was facilitated by the group led by Senator Loren Legarda, and which resulted in the release of media personality Arlyn de la Cruz from her abductors.”
The alleged military report, which was the basis of reports on supposed “ransom payments” in most Manila newspapers on 30 April, said that University of the Philippines Professor Mashur Jundam paid the ransom before de la Cruz was released. Senator Legarda challenged the military to show proof that a ransom was indeed paid. The senator, Jundam and de la Cruz denied the allegations in earlier reports.
In a related event, a “Philippine Daily Inquirer” report on 1 May said that the Philippine military has tagged the Abu Sayyaf, and not a composite group of former rebels, as alleged by de la Cruz, as her abductors. The spokesperson for the military’s Southern Command said that all former rebels integrated into the military were accounted for from the time she was abducted until she was released.
