Colleagues rejoice with release of Ces Drillon and colleagues.
It may have been the wee hours of the morning but just the same, journalists covering the Manila Police District beat were glued to the television Wednesday to monitor news about the release of ABS-CBN senior correspondent Ces Drilon and cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion in Sulu province.
In separate statements, Ernie Bautista of tabloid Tonite and Rene Sandajan of Tanod said Drilon and Encarnacion have become a symbol of every media practitioner in the country.
The two said that Drilon and Encarnacion showed courage in the face of danger. They added that the victims likewise exhibited the dangers of working as a journalist in the Philippines.
Aside from Drilon and Encarnacion, Prof. Octavio Dinampo of the Mindanao State Univerisity was also freed late Tuesday night in Talipao town in Sulu.
ABS-CBN's Angelo Valderama, another cameraman abducted with Drilon's team on June 8, was released by the kidnappers on June 12.
The four were taken by armed men in Indanan town on June 8.
As of posting time, Drilon and Encarnacion were at a Zamboanga City beach resort for a reunion with their families.
They are scheduled to fly back to Manila within the day. With reports from Jeff Canoy and ABS-CBN News
