PNP News Releases 2008

MANHUNT PRESSED FOR SULU KIDNAPPERS

The Philippine National Police is continuously validating the identities of at least ten more suspects involved in the kidnapping of Ces Drilon and three others in Sulu to establish a strong case against.

Two of the suspects have been identified earlier as Sulayman PATTA alias Abu Harris and WALID alias Tuan Wals. A reward of P500,000.00 each has been offered by the DILG for information leading to their arrest.

"We are confident that we will reach a significant breakthrough very soon in the manhunt for the suspects. We hope that the reward offer will hasten efforts to capture Patta and Walid, and the other suspects," PNP Chief, Director General Avelino I Razon Jr..

The identities of at least ten more suspects are now being validated thru police records and descriptions provided by the victims.

PNP Spokesman, Chief Superintendent Nicanor A Bartolome said accurate identification of the suspects is essential in the case build-up efforts of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER).

"The procedural debriefing of the victims, as well as some personalities who were involved in the negotiation phase of the rescue operation is being done to aid our investigators in piecing together the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping of Ces Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion, Angelo Valderrama, and Prof. Octavio Dinampo," Bartolome said. The victims and other witnesses assured the PNP of their cooperation in the investigation.

"All information that they will provide the investigators will be crucial in establishing the individual participation of each suspect in the case," the PNP Spokesman said.

Over in Sulu, the three Provincial Mobile Groups stationed in the island province, augmented by the Regional Mobile Group and a contingent of Special Action Force troops are conducting joint operations with AFP units around the areas of Indanan and Talipao where the kidnappers are believed to be holed-out. All police forces the entire Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao and in Western Mindanao remain on Full Alert.

Drilon, Encarnacion and Dinampo were freed shortly before midnight Tuesday in Sitio Danasi, Lower Sinumaan, Talipao, Sulu.

"The overwhelming pressure of police and military operations must have been too much to bear on the part of the kidnappers," Razon said.

After a short rest, Drilon, Encarnacio and Dinampo were airlifted at 2:45 AM from Jolo to Zamboanga City where they were taken to a military hospital for medical examination.

They were finally reunited with some family members in Zamboanga City before they were flown to Manila via commercial flight later in the day.