Ex-putschists seek probe on P250-M ransom payment to Abu Sayyaf

From the Business Mirror (Nov 30): Ex-putschists seek probe on P250-M ransom payment to Abu Sayyaf

MAGDALO party-list lawmakers have recently  filed a resolution calling for an immediate congressional inquiry into the alleged recent payment of a P250-million ransom to the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group for the release of its German hostages.

House Resolution 1679, authored by Party-list Reps. Reps. Gary C. Alejano and Ashley L. Acedillo of Magdalo, directs the appropriate House committee to investigate, in aid of legislation, the said alleged ransom payment for the release of Stefan Viktor Okonek, 71, and Henrike Diesen, 55.

“If the payment is indeed true, it has set a terribly troubling precedent that will only serve to encourage the Abu Sayyaf and other kidnap-for-ransom groups to engage in such activities, especially those targeting foreigners,” the lawmakers said.

According to the resolution, “the payment of hundreds of millions of pesos to the said terrorist group will not only motivate them to kidnap more foreigners.”

This would “also allow them to utilize such big funds to procure more firearms and weapons to the detriment of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and law-enforcement agencies.”

According to government reports, the two Germans were traveling within Philippine waters using a private yacht in April when they were abducted by the terrorist group. They were held captive for six months and were then scheduled to be executed in October, if the ransom money was not paid.

“The Philippine government denied that payment of ransom money was involved to secure the release of the two German nationals,” Alejano and Acedillo’s resolution said.

According to the lawmakers, the terrorist group uploaded this month a video on the Internet showing it arranging and counting a very visible big stash of money.

It was also visible in the video the money was composed of bundles of P1,000 bills.
“Such payment, if true, means that more than P100 million in thousand-peso bills will leave a paper trail involving Philippine banks that facilitated the transfer of such huge amounts of money,” the lawmakers said.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/ex-putschists-seek-probe-on-p250-m-ransom-payment-to-abu-sayyaf/