Puno: Proof indicates Isnaji masterminded kidnapping

(Updated) MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Interior and Local Government on Friday maintained that investigators have basis to charge Alvarez Isnaji and his son in the kidnapping of television reporter Ces Drilon and her crew, adding that the Indanan mayor might have masterminded the abduction and pocketed most of the P5-million ransom. Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said information received by his office indicated that Isnaji might be a "principal player" in the incident. "Ang unang nakarating sa akin...ang nag-isip ng kidnap at namuno sa kidnap ay isang Laring-Laring. Nang tinanong namin sa tao namin sino yan, yun pala isa sa mga alias na gamit ni Isnaji (When news of the kidnapping first broke out, our local sources said a certain Laring-Laring masterminded it. It turned out Laring-Laring was an alias used by the mayor)," Puno said. He said Isnaji extracted a P5-million ransom from Drilon's family, and kept most of the money. "Mukhang may naibigay kay Mayor Isnaji, ang halaga ay P5 million. Dinala sa bahay niya, binilang niya roon... Ang P2 million, dinala sa kidnapper ng emissary. Nang nilabas si Angelo...nagka-onsehan pa roon (Mayor Isnaji got the money, about P5 million. The money was brought to his house and was counted there. But only P2 million went to the kidnappers)," Puno said. Puno said the kidnappers through "negotiator" Isnaji pressed Drilon's family to pay ransom after ABS-CBN refused to pay the amount demanded by the abductors. "Pamilya ang kinausap nila, tinakot nila dahil ayaw magbigay ng pera ang ABS-CBN, may policy sila against paying ransom. Ang pamilya ang inipit nila. May nakuha sila sa pamilya na dapat para sa pagpalaya kay Ces. Si Mayor Isnaji lang ang kausap dito (The kidnappers demanded ransom from Drilon's family because ABS-CBN has a no-ransom policy. They got money from Drilon's family and it was Mayor Isnaji who relayed the message)," Puno said. Puno denied claims that he encouraged Isnaji to negotiate with the abductors, saying he could not have encouraged Isnaji because he does not know him. "I never met Mayor Isnaji and I do not know him," he said. Puno said he ordered the Philippine National Police to hold a press conference and present all their pieces of evidence linking Isnaji to the abduction, including a photograph of the counting of the money at the mayor's house. "Ang karamihan na halaga doon naiwan sa kanya... Ang katotohanan pag nakita nila yan mahirap tanggihan ni Isnaji isa siya sa principal dito (The story behind the photo was that Isnaji kept most of the money. If the truth comes out, the mayor will find it hard to refute the charges against him)," Puno said, adding that he has already cleared the matter with the National Security Council. "Ako nagpipigil ako magsalita dahil siguro ebidensya na lang, mahirap makipagtalo... Marami silang pwedeng gawing istorya, ang bottom line diyan, yung ebidensya pa rin (I've been trying to hold back but I'll let the evidence do the talking. They can make up stories all they want but the bottom line is the evidence)," Puno added. Director General Avelino Razon Jr, PNP chief, said investigators have testimonial evidence pointing to Isnaji as the mastermind of the kidnapping, which is supported by intelligence reports and photographs. "A lot of questions were asked on evidence versus Isnaji. Madami evidence ang hawak in terms of witness accounts, intelligence reports, statements and even pictures and reports of events. This picture shows Alvarez counting money initially given for the release of Ces but in the end, na-release si Valderama," Razon said. Razon described the evidence against Isnaji: "(In the picture) is Mayor Isnaji seen in beige vest and checkered polo. Si Lady in white na may bonnet and Senior Superintendent (Winnie) Quidatu in blue and a bodyguard of Quidatu who is a member of the Intelligence Group who was sent to Jolo in a covert operation after we received info that the leader of kidnap for ransom is a certain Laring-Laring." "This information came from local sources - di lang isang source - who gave us this info and piecing together these information, Laring-Laring is the alias of Isnaji so he was sent there and presented himself as part of negotiating team," Razon added. "According to Quidatu, ang binayad ni Mayor to the kidnappers is 2 million and the 3 million he retained for himself... (There's) first hand knowledge na nakaupo siya, nakikita niya binibilang yung pera," he further said. - GMANews.TV