Kidnappers free cameraman, hold on to

reporter, 2 others
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A television cameraman who was abducted
by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits in Jolo, Sulu, last Sunday, was freed Thursday evening,
police told GMANews.TV in a telephone interview. "[Angelo] Valderama is finally freed.
He will undergo medical examination and debriefing by government authorities. We are
still waiting for developments on the other hostages," Superintendent Julasirim Kasim,
the Sulu police chief, told GMANews.TV.Valderama was released to Indanan Mayor
Isnaji Alvarez in the village of Sinumaan in Talipao, Sulu, at about 8:30 p.m., said Kasim,
National Police provincial director.As of posting time, the kidnappers were still holding
ABS-CBN reporter Ces Drilon and another cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion, including
their guide, Professor Octavio Dinampo, of the Mindanao State University.

Valderama was undergoing a "debriefing" as of posting time in the provincial

capital of Jolo, Kasim said, adding that the cameraman was "OK naman" and had no
visible bruises or torture marks."Valderama looks OK," Kasim said.Alvarez said
Valderama was freed as a "gift." He refused to say if a ransom was paid to secure
Valderama's release.The kidnappers earlier asked for Alvarez, a former Moro National
Liberation Front leader, to negotiate for the release of the hostages.Alvarez is running for
governor in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao elections in August.It was not
immediately known whether ransom was paid in exchange for the release of Valderama,
but the kidnappers have reportedly demanded as much as P50 million for the
hostages.The kidnappers originally demanded P10 million, but radio network dzRH on
Thursday said the bandits asked for P50 million.The report said the hostages should have
been freed on Wednesday after unnamed negotiators agreed to pay the ransom.The radio
network, which quoted "unnamed sources privy to the negotiations," also reported that
the kidnappers already lowered their demand to P25 million.The reports could not be
independently confirmed.Alvarez said Valderama was freed as a "gift." He refused to say
if a ransom was paid to secure Valderama's release.ABS-CBN earlier issued a statement
saying it would not pay ransom to avoid emboldening kidnap-for-ransom groups "to
abduct other journalists, putting more lives at risk."