ABS-CBN crew Angelo Valderama finally freed
ABS-CBN crew Angelo Valderama is finally freed. Valderama one of the three ABS-CBN journalist who were kidnapped by Armed men believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf group while they were on their way to the town of Maimbung in Sulu and was freed after five days of captivity. The said ABS-CBN crew was been released around 7:30-8:30 p.m. . The kidnappers are still holding ABS-CBN reporter Ces Drilon and other cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion, with their local guide Prof. Octavio Dinampo of the Mindanao State University.
Undersecretary Amilasan Amilbajar of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Mindanao said a P2-million “board and lodging fee” was paid in exchange for Angelo Valderama’s freedom. Valderama will undergo medical examination and debriefing by government authorities.
Alvarez, a former Moro National Liberation Front leader was ask by the kidnappers to negotiate the release of the hostages. Alvarez is running for a governor position in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao this coming August election. The kidnappers told Alvarez that Angelo Valderama was being freed as a “gift”.
ABS-CBN in a statement that it would abide by its policy of not paying ransoms, so as not to “embolden kidnap-for-ransom groups to abduct other journalists, putting more lives at risk.”
