Sayyaf denies asking $5M for Red Cross workers’ release

MANILA, Philippines - Albader Parad, the head of the Abu Sayyaf faction that abducted three Red Cross workers belied reports that his group demanded $5 million for the freedom of its captives. In a phone conversation with Sen. Richard Gordon on Sunday, April 12, Parad said his group never demanded ransom, contrary to what was being claimed in a military document. GMANews.TV was able to listen to the recorded phone conversation on Monday, April 13, which was aired on radio dzBB. The military document was prepared long before the bandits released Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba on April 2. The two other captives – Swiss Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni – are now on their 88th day of captivity. The three were abducted on January 15 after inspecting a water sanitation project on Jolo Island in Sulu province. It’s money they want Despite Parad’s claim, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno still believes that the Abu Sayyaf wants money and not a massive military pullout from areas where the al-Qaeda-linked bandits operate. “Pera. Walang dahilan kundi pera. Bakit ayaw nila mag-negotiate kung hindi pera ang kanilang pinag-uusapan? Pera lang talaga ‘yan," Puno said in a chance interview with reporters at Camp Crame on Monday. [There is no other reason except money. Why don’t they want to negotiate if they are not really after the money. It’s money they want.] “Why should we pull out even before we start negotiations? What do they want? Sabi nila gusto nila ng bagong buhay pero walang negosasyon. So ang suspetsa ng lahat, at ako na naniniwala ako, na ang puno’t dulo nito, pera pa rin," he added. [They say they want a new life, but without negotiations. So I believe in the suspicions that they are only after the money.] - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV