ABS-CBN TV crew member freed

One of three TV journalists abducted by suspected Muslim extremists was freed in the southern Philippines late Thursday, a local official who negotiated the release told AFP. ABS-CBN cameraman Angelo Valderama was brought to the home of the mayor of Indanan town in Jolo island, said the mayor, Isnaji Alvarez. But prominent anchorwoman Ces Drilon and cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion were still in captivity, along with a Mindanao State University professor who had acted as their local guide. Alvarez said in a telephone interview that the kidnappers told him Valderama was being set free as a "gift." The freed hostage told Alvarez that his two colleagues and the professor remained with the kidnappers and were unharmed. Alvarez would not say if a ransom was paid to secure the cameraman's release.
The kidnappers, described as members of the Abu Sayyaf group that has been blamed for the worst terrorist attacks in the Philippines, were understood to have demanded up to P20 million (454,000 dollars) in ransom. Alvarez had earlier told reporters he had spoken with Drilon by telephone on Wednesday night.

Police and military sources would not comment on a media report that the group was being held by a Malaysian Jemaah Islamiyah bombmaker wanted by the United States. The Philippine Star newspaper named the Malaysian as Zulkifli bin Hir, who it said was holed up with local Abu Sayyaf militants Umbra Jumdail and Albader Parad. The paper, quoting an unnamed military source, said the US-trained engineer was "the principal suspect in many bombing attacks in the Philippines, where he has been in hiding since August 2003 and training Islamic militants in handling explosive devices."

Meanwhile, on the nearby island of Basilan, Muslim extremists kidnapped two Philippine Marines on Thursday and were demanding the release of detained Abu Sayyaf militant Sali Dungkal Alih in exchange, the military said. Security forces arrested Alih in Basilan on May 6.
Arevalo said the government was sticking to its position of not giving in to such demands.