Friday, February 28, 2020

Whereabouts of abducted Jolo physician remains unknown

From the Manila Bulletin (Feb 26, 2020): Whereabouts of abducted Jolo physician remains unknown (By Nonoy Lacson)

“Where is Dr. Daniel Moreno?”

This was the nagging question that has confronted authorities in Sulu after reports spread that r
elatives of the Jolo, Sulu internist have already paid the P4.5-million ransom being demanded by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in exchange for his release.

Moreno was kidnapped in Jolo last February 4.


Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chairperson Yusop Jikiri confirmed Wednesday that his group had received a similar report about the payment of ransom last Sunday, February 23.

But he said the front also received information that P2 million out of the P4.5-million ransom went “missing (that is why) Dr. Moreno is also missing”.

Jikiri added the missing amount was reportedly taken by a negotiator operating under the MNLF-Misuari group.

“I suspect Dr. Moreno is no longer in Sulu. The ASG has already moved him out of the province considering that the people of Sulu has failed to see him after the kidnapping incident,” Jikiri said.

He said that most of the people living in the forested and far flung areas of the province claimed they have not seen Moreno, since the time he was kidnapped by the ASG.

Jikiri said the MNLF anti-kidnaping and terrorism task force which he organized was closely monitoring the whereabouts of Moreno to facilitate any rescue operation that could be launched by the military.

Jakiri also pointed out that there were inconsistencies as to how much the ASG actually demanded in exchange for Moreno’s release.

“We have heard that the negotiators were earlier plan to demand P150 million, some were P50 million, I don’t know which is which is correct, the front is also confused,” he said.

Nevertheless, Jakiri said MNLF was already working hard “to locate Dr. Moreno and identify the group holding him captive, so the military could mount a rescue operation to free the internist physician”.

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