Resort owner's Abu captors want P10 M for 'proof of life'

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – Abu Sayyaf bandits holding a Basilan resort owner captive have demanded P10 million in exchange for proof that he is still alive, a member of the local crisis management committee said.

The committee member, who requested not to be identified as he is not allowed to make any public statement, said the demand was contained in a letter which the Abu Sayyaf group led by Puruji Indama sent last Sunday via a courier based in this city. 

The amount sought for the “proof of life” represented half of the total ransom for the safe release of Hilario de los Santos, alias Larry Font, owner of the Font Restaurant and Farmland Mountain Resort in Isabela City, capital of Basilan.

Basilan Vice Gov. Al-Rasheed Sakalahul, which chairs the crisis management committee, confirmed the monetary demand, but declined to reveal the sum, saying such details should come from De los Santos’ family.

Sakalahul said his primary concern is that the resort owner is alive and that his kidnappers have opened lines for possible negotiations.

Followers of Indama disguised themselves as personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency when they seized De los Santos on the night of last Dec. 16 in Lanote village. 

“Of course, as much as possible we will negotiate the safe release of the victim without any monetary consideration,” Sakalahul said.

According to a relative of the victim, the Abu Sayyaf contacted the De los Santoses yesterday and lowered the demand for proof of life to P300,000.

Indama’s group has not imposed any deadline for the captive’s family to pay the amount.

Sakalahul said the crisis management committee met yesterday to discuss their options now that De los Santos is confirmed alive. 

Sakalahul said they would exhaust all peaceful measures before giving the go-signal for a rescue operation by the police and military.