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Third party could have raised reported P50m ransom for Norwegian: spokesman
A third party could have raised the alleged P50-million ransom to the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group for the supposed release of a Norwegian hostage, Malacanang said on Friday.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella was reacting to a remark of President Rodrigo Duterte who told reporters early Friday morning about the alleged ransom when he was sought about his reaction on the beheading of an Abu Sayyaf hostage.
Initially believing that reporters were talking about Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, Duterte said he would accuse the Abu Sayyaf of "utter of bad faith" as they were paid.
But reporters were talking about a Filipino teenager who was taken hostage recently and was murdered after ransom was not paid for his release.
"I'm not privy to that. But it was, I think it was also raised by third person," Abella said when asked of where the P50 million ransom that Duterte mentioned could have come from.
He said the ransom did not come from the government.
"We don't encourage (negotiation with the Abu Sayyaf). If they make negotiations, that is their negotiation," Abella said.
He said the government is working quietly to secure the release of Sekkingstad, one of the four hostages taken by the Abu Sayyaf in a resort in Samal Island, Davao del Norte in September last year.
His co-hostages, two Canadians were beheaded, while a Filipina was released shortly before Duterte assumed office on June 30. Celerina Monte
