(CMFR/IFEX) – Two Filipino journalists from ABS-CBN, one of the largest radio-TV companies in the Philippines, were released on Sunday 30 July 2000, five days after being abducted in Patikul town in Jolo, Sulu, southern Philippines. Cameraman Val Cuenca and his wife, researcher Maan Macapagal, were released to the custody of the vice governor of […]
(CMFR/IFEX) – Two Filipino journalists from ABS-CBN, one of the largest radio-TV companies in the Philippines, were released on Sunday 30 July 2000, five days after being abducted in Patikul town in Jolo, Sulu, southern Philippines.
Cameraman Val Cuenca and his wife, researcher Maan Macapagal, were released to the custody of the vice governor of Sulu in the town where they were abducted. They were allegedly abducted because they had not gotten proper clearance from the Abu Sayyaf to conduct interviews.
Colleagues from ABS-CBN had earlier sent a petition letter to an Abu Sayyaf chieftain appealing for the two journalists’ release. No ransom was paid for their release, said ABS-CBN.
Background Information
Four armed men who were allegedly members of the Abu Sayyaf abducted the couple last Monday 24 July at around 1:00 p.m. (local time) in Patikul town. Cuenca and Macapagal were on their way back to Jolo after interviewing an Abu Sayyaf leader when a group of armed men stopped their vehicle. Claiming that they still had things to discuss with them, the men led the journalists back into the jungle. The driver of the couple’s vehicle reported the incident to police.
This was the fourth time journalists have been kidnapped in the area since hostages taken from a Malaysian resort were brought to Jolo last May. Ten journalists went missing, only to reappear after interviewing the Abu Sayyaf hostages last June. They claimed that they had to hand over their valuables to the Abu Sayyaf before they were allowed to leave.
German journalist Andreas Lorenz, who was among that group of ten journalists, was again abducted in early July, but released on 27 July after his magazine, “Der Spiegel”, allegedly paid a US$25,000 ransom. A TV news team from France was also kidnapped after Lorenz, and is still in Abu Sayyaf hands.
