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Category: Media

Driver claims military agent, not Abus seized Drilon team

Published by Ellen on June 12, 2008

By Julie Alipala
Mindanao Bureau

Breaking news: Angelo Valderrama, Ces’ assistant cameraman was released Thursday night.

GMA 7: Ces cried for help

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The hired driver of television reporter Ces Drilon and her crew has claimed to police that a known “military agent” and not members of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group abducted the ABS-CBN team, the Sulu police chief said Thursday.

Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim, Sulu police director, said driver Maramma Hasim, the man hired by Drilon and her team to chauffer for them in Maimbung on the day of their disappearance, claimed that one Juamil “Maming” Biyaw was the “missing link” to knowing who was behind the abduction.

Continue readingDriver claims military agent, not Abus seized Drilon team

Is JI into Cess kidnapping?

Published by Ellen on June 12, 2008

With ABS-CBN keeping mum on the progress of efforts to free broadcaster Ces Drilon and her team, all sorts of speculations arise. Some maybe true, some may be just rumors. Police reports say Ces and three others are in the custody of Abu Sayyaf commander Albader Parad.

Philippine Star has additional info which is interesting. Albader Parad’s group is together with with Jemaah Islamiya bomb expert Zulkifli Bin Hir, a Malaysian.Zulkifli has a $5 million price in his head put up by the United States government.

Here is Philippine Star’s story:

Ces, TV crew in JI custody

By Roel Pareño

Zamboanga City – A Malaysian Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) bomb expert with a $5-million bounty on his head is holding broadcast journalist Ces Oreña-Drilon and her two cameramen in a remote jungle base of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, military sources said yesterday.

Continue readingIs JI into Cess kidnapping?

Praying for safe return of Ces and team

Published by Ellen on June 10, 2008

Update: ABS-CBN rules out ransom

Rep.Roilo Golez yesterday called on those who cherish freedom and peace “to pray for the safety and life of Ces Drilon and all other who are under involuntary and hostile custody. Let’s pray that God will enlighten and soften the hearts and minds of their captors.”

Ces and her crew, cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion and assistant cameraman Angel Valderama, together with peace advocate Octavio Dinampo, a professor at the Mindanao State University were abducted armed men in Maimbung, Sulu Sunday. Police reports say the kidnappers were members of the bandit group, Abu Sayyaf.

ABS-CBN appeals to colleagues in media to exercise “utmost consideration for the safety of our news team.”

Continue readingPraying for safe return of Ces and team

Tribune publisher guilty of libel

Published by Ellen on June 5, 2008

By Tech Torres
Inquirer

A Makati City court on Thursday found journalist and newspaper publisher Ninez Cacho Olivarez guilty of libel for writing a column accusing a law firm of influence peddling in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA3) deal.

And the Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angcanco Law Firm (also known as The Firm) says it is pursuing 47 more libel suits — each case for one article — it has filed against the publisher of The Daily Tribune.

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Reporter says Magdalos had no plan to take over government

Published by Ellen on May 27, 2008

by Ashzel Hachero
Malaya

Reporter Alvin Elchico of ABS-CBN and a close friend and townmate of one of the Magdalo leaders, former Army Capt. Milo Maestrecampo, took the witness stand for the defense Tuesday and said he never heard the soldiers holed up at Oakwood hotel talk of any plan to take over the government or attack their fellow soldiers who had been ranged against them.

The soldiers led by detained senator Antonio Trillanes are being tried for coup d’etat at the Makati regional trial court.

Continue readingReporter says Magdalos had no plan to take over government

Esperon as peace adviser; Dureza, press secretary

Published by Ellen on May 18, 2008

Presidential Adviser Jesus Dureza is going to Malacañang as press secretary to replace Ignacio Bunye has been rewarded a lucrative position as member of the Monetary Board.

Dureza will be replaced by former Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon under whose term reports of extra-judicial killings by the military increased.

Sen. Jamby Madrigal, chair of the Senate Committee on Peace, issued the following statement:

Continue readingEsperon as peace adviser; Dureza, press secretary

OSG asks SC to dismiss journalists’petition for amparo

Published by Ellen on April 2, 2008

Government lawyers said Puno, Razon, Gonzalez et al were thinking of the safety of the officers when they were ordered to vacate the hotel. My foot!

From Malaya:

by Evangeline de Vera

The Office of the Solicitor General asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the consolidated petitions for Amparo and prohibition filed by print and broadcast journalists led by Ces Drilon and Raoul Esperas in connection with the arrest of mediamen at the height of the Manila Peninsula standoff last Nov. 29.

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