ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Abu Sayyaf bandits who kidnapped a Filipino-Chinese businessman in Basilan are demanding a huge amount of money in exchange for the release of the hostage, an official said.
Basilan Vice Governor Alrasheed Sakkalahul said the terrorists have also demanded for a "proof of life fee" from the family of Lario Tam Delos Santos, who was kidnapped last December 16, 2010, from his resort in Barangay Lanote, Isabela City, Basilan.
The Delos Santos family owns and manages Farmland Resort in Lanote village and a restaurant in downtown Isabela, the provincial capital.
Police said the bandits who kidnapped Delos Santos are led by Puruji Indama, one of the remaining bandit leaders in Basilan.
Sakkalahul said the ransom demand was made through a letter received by the hostage's family last December 30. He refused to reveal the amount the bandits are asking from the Delos Santos family.
The letter, which was written by the hostage himself, was sent through a Zamboanga City-based cargo forwarder, the vice governor said.
Sakkalahul also said that the bandits called the victim's family twice, demanding payment in exchange for a proof of life.
The first call was made last Sunday, January 2, when the bandits asked for "half of the ransom amount" as proof of life fee, while the second was made Tuesday morning.
RMN-Zamboanga, however, reported that the Abu Sayyaf bandits have demanded P20 million in exchange for the release of the Filipino-Chinese trader.
The same report also stated that the first demand of proof of life fee was P10 million.
Sources disclosed, though, that the proof of life fee was later lowered to P300,000 when the bandits called the family of Delos Santos Tuesday.
The victim's family said Tuesday that they can't afford to pay the ransom, citing the income from the resort and restaurant owned by the hostage is just enough to pay its employees.
The family urged President Benigno Aquino III to intervene in the case to put a stop to the kidnapping incidents in the province. (Bong Garcia/Sunnex)
