Freed MSU prof taken by MIG-9 for 'debriefing'
MANILA, Philippines - Freed kidnap victim Octavio Dinampo, chair of the Mindanao People's Caucus (MPC) and a Mindanao State University professor, has been turned over to the Military Intelligence Group for "debriefing."
Dinampo himself reported to the MPC that he was undergoing an "ordinary debriefing."
"(I am) in the hands of a good brother. There is nothing to worry," Dinampo said around 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Before this, peace advocates belonging to the MPC and the Mindanao Peace Weavers (MPW), were worried as they were unable to reach him for around eight hours.
Fr. Angel Calvo, lead convener of MPW said that last time he talked with Dinampo over the phone was at 4 a.m.
"I've been trying to get in touch with Octa the whole morning. We tried to follow him up with the personalities but we failed to see him. He has been separated from Ces Crilon. Ces did not appear anymore after the brief remarks she had on television," Calvo said.
"I was told he is under debriefing. It's difficult to know who is responsible. Gen. Razon said you can see him and referred me to somebody else," the priest said who later learned that from the Police, the professor was turned over to the Military Intelligence Group of Region-9 for "debriefing."
"I guess after moving from place to place I think he is in La Vista del Mar, not in military camp," Calvo said as he relayed that media has been trying to reach Dinampo to follow up on the statement of Drilon who told journalists in Zamboanga City that she was "betrayed."
The groups' fears about Dinampo's whereabouts were apparently sparked by earlier reports quoting police officials who said that Dinampo was one of those suspected of having links to the group of bandits which abducted broadcast journalist Ces Drilon and her crew.
The reports were later clarified.
"She was betrayed. These were the words she used when she was in Jolo and in Zamboanga," Calvo said, referring to a quote of Drilon during a press conference in Zambaonga City.
The priest believed this could be the reason why journalists were trying to get an interview with Dinampo, to get details of the reported betrayal that Drilon failed to specify.
Calvo said he had to appear on local TV stations to tell the public that the betrayal could not have come from Dinampo.
Calvo was proven right when at around 2 p.m. in the afternoon in Manila, Drilon told ABS-CBN in an interview that "Professor Dinampo is a peace advocate. He wants peace for Sulu. He was the last to interview the ASG."
"I have faith in him (Dinampo) as a peace advocate. Maybe we are just both naïve. He thought that there were opportunities or openings towards negotiations with the government," Drilon said while relaying her ordeal in the hands of their abductors.
She also share her reflections, including the fact that 12-, 15- and 17-year-old armed men whom she said were supposed to be "carrying pencils and papers to school" were with the bandits.
"Alhamdullilah. Alleluia. God is so good. Magsukol (thank you) to al those who rally behind the good name of Prof. Octa. Let us all work for peace in Mindanao and Sulu. Peace is possible," Mary Ann Arnado, secretary-general of the Mindanao Peoples Caucus said when told of the the victims' release.
"I do not have anything—even my wallet and my phone were taken," Dinampo told Arnado who relayed that the professor could have escaped his abductors "but I could not leave the three (ABS-CBN crew)."
"Those days were paralyzing…we could now get back to work but we are also organizing a debriefing for the whole family of Prof. Octa and the officers of MPC," Arnado said as she relayed that Rev. Daniel Pantoja of the Mennonites has already committed to facilitate the debriefing.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you. Let us talk later," Dinampo told this reporter when reached through the mobile phone of Rexall Kaalim, the Bantay Ceasefire coordinator who headed the team that MPC sent to Sulu to work for the release of the professor and assist his family. - Romy Elusfa, GMANews.TV
Dinampo himself reported to the MPC that he was undergoing an "ordinary debriefing."
"(I am) in the hands of a good brother. There is nothing to worry," Dinampo said around 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Before this, peace advocates belonging to the MPC and the Mindanao Peace Weavers (MPW), were worried as they were unable to reach him for around eight hours.
Fr. Angel Calvo, lead convener of MPW said that last time he talked with Dinampo over the phone was at 4 a.m.
"I've been trying to get in touch with Octa the whole morning. We tried to follow him up with the personalities but we failed to see him. He has been separated from Ces Crilon. Ces did not appear anymore after the brief remarks she had on television," Calvo said.
"I was told he is under debriefing. It's difficult to know who is responsible. Gen. Razon said you can see him and referred me to somebody else," the priest said who later learned that from the Police, the professor was turned over to the Military Intelligence Group of Region-9 for "debriefing."
"I guess after moving from place to place I think he is in La Vista del Mar, not in military camp," Calvo said as he relayed that media has been trying to reach Dinampo to follow up on the statement of Drilon who told journalists in Zamboanga City that she was "betrayed."
The groups' fears about Dinampo's whereabouts were apparently sparked by earlier reports quoting police officials who said that Dinampo was one of those suspected of having links to the group of bandits which abducted broadcast journalist Ces Drilon and her crew.
The reports were later clarified.
"She was betrayed. These were the words she used when she was in Jolo and in Zamboanga," Calvo said, referring to a quote of Drilon during a press conference in Zambaonga City.
The priest believed this could be the reason why journalists were trying to get an interview with Dinampo, to get details of the reported betrayal that Drilon failed to specify.
Calvo said he had to appear on local TV stations to tell the public that the betrayal could not have come from Dinampo.
Calvo was proven right when at around 2 p.m. in the afternoon in Manila, Drilon told ABS-CBN in an interview that "Professor Dinampo is a peace advocate. He wants peace for Sulu. He was the last to interview the ASG."
"I have faith in him (Dinampo) as a peace advocate. Maybe we are just both naïve. He thought that there were opportunities or openings towards negotiations with the government," Drilon said while relaying her ordeal in the hands of their abductors.
She also share her reflections, including the fact that 12-, 15- and 17-year-old armed men whom she said were supposed to be "carrying pencils and papers to school" were with the bandits.
"Alhamdullilah. Alleluia. God is so good. Magsukol (thank you) to al those who rally behind the good name of Prof. Octa. Let us all work for peace in Mindanao and Sulu. Peace is possible," Mary Ann Arnado, secretary-general of the Mindanao Peoples Caucus said when told of the the victims' release.
"I do not have anything—even my wallet and my phone were taken," Dinampo told Arnado who relayed that the professor could have escaped his abductors "but I could not leave the three (ABS-CBN crew)."
"Those days were paralyzing…we could now get back to work but we are also organizing a debriefing for the whole family of Prof. Octa and the officers of MPC," Arnado said as she relayed that Rev. Daniel Pantoja of the Mennonites has already committed to facilitate the debriefing.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you. Let us talk later," Dinampo told this reporter when reached through the mobile phone of Rexall Kaalim, the Bantay Ceasefire coordinator who headed the team that MPC sent to Sulu to work for the release of the professor and assist his family. - Romy Elusfa, GMANews.TV
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