Eight days after broadcast journalist Ces Drilon and her cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion, together with Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo, were abducted by alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a P15-million ransom has been demanded with a deadline at noon of June 17th. Mayor Alvarez Isnaji, negotiator, said Drilon called relaying the demand and begging for help. Meanwhile, ABS-CBN, Drilon’s network, reiterated its “no ransom policy” to protect journalists from future abductions.  It likewise denies allegations that it has abandoned its news crew.

Isnaji claims that the kidnappers informed him that the Drilon family has agreed to pay the P15-million ransom.  Isnaji stated that it is Ces Drilon’s parents who want to pay the ransom.  The ransom was reduced from P20 million to P15 million, based on what was allegedly agreed upon by the kidnappers and Drilon’s family. If ransom is not paid by deadline, the kidnappers insist that there will be repercussions.   However, Isnaji denied threats by the captors to execute hostages if the demands are not met.

Tags: abduct journalists,ABS-CBN,Abu Sayyaf Group,Ces Drilon,Mayor Alvarez Isnaji
Categories: News, Politics
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Police have confirmed that Philippine TV broadcaster and newswoman Ces Drilon together with her two other news crew were abducted Sunday in the southernmost province Sulu by armed men believed to be members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group. ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., a local top TV network, issued a brief statement saying their 3-man news team were sent to Mindanao upon the request of Mindanao State University Professor Octavio Dinmapo to cover an event, but have since gone missing in Sulu. Police Chief Joel Goltiao from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao said the newsmen were intercepted in Maimbung, Sulu by armed men believed to be Abu Sayyaf members.

Goltiao says that the media group were supposedly picked up by Dinmapo in a university hostel but, “Along the way in Kulasi, Maimbung, Sulu, they were intercepted by an armed group and now they are held in captivity”. He said the group was brought to Indanan town in Sulu. He named the abductors as Albader Parad, an Abu Sayyaf member, and Gapur Jundain, a former member of the erstwhile separatist Moro National Liberation Front who recently joined the extremist group.

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Tags: abduction,ABS-CBN,Abu Sayyaf,Ces Drilon,Sulu
Categories: News
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October 2007 is almost over and it surely has been a pretty interesting month. First, we saw the birth of certifiedblogaholic right here… and just barely a week after, the Glorietta 2 blast that killed 11 people happened coupled with the pardon granted to convicted former president Erap Estrada. Now, let’s top it off with something more alluring like Riza Santos, former Ms Earth-Canada, becoming this month’s cover girl for FHM Philippines. Yup, I’m referring to that stunning beauty queen/housemate that we see on TV everyday in Pinoy Big Brother.

From the few episodes of the show that I’ve seen, Riza Santos has been identified as the love interest of fellow housemate, broken-hearted Will Devaughn. Their love story is slowly blossoming right before the eyes of millions of the PBB followers. This prim and proper “no-boyfriend-since-birth” girl (a.k.a, virgin mary of the house) will surely make every boy - “suicidal, suicidal when she says its over”… So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon the FHM October edition and saw Riza on the cover. Ubër cool. Ubër drool.

Anyway, I did some more research and found this video of the magazine’s photo shoot, watch and drool — er, I mean, be mesmerized. She’s really making me suicidal, suicidal, but in a good way, if there’s such a thing…

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Tags: ABS-CBN,FHM download,FHM October 2007,men's magazine,Ms. Earth,Pinoy Big Brother,Riza Santos,Will Devaughn
Categories: Entertainment News, News, TV
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