"Until now, we have never claimed that the government did it (paid ransom for the hostages) because we never did it," Luhut Pandjaitan said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan confirmed that the Indonesian government did not pay any ransom for the release of the 10 Indonesian crew members who were kidnapped in the Philippine waters.
"Until now, we have never claimed that the government did it (paid ransom for the hostages) because we never did it," the minister stated at the Presidential Palace here on Monday in response to the news distributed by media in the Philippines that the hostages were released after paying a ransom.
The minister was also reluctant to respond to claims that the company had paid the ransom.
"It is the business of the company. I do not want to give any comment on it," he noted.
A total of 10 Indonesian crew members aboard tugboat Brahma 12, which was towing a barge loaded with coal, were released by members of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group on Sunday afternoon (May 1).
They were abducted while sailing to the waters of Sulu in southern Philippines on March 26, 2016.
The Abu Sayyaf group had demanded a ransom worth 50 million pesos, or some Rp14.3 billion, for the release of the 10 Indonesian hostages.
The 10 Indonesian sailors were immediately flown in from the Air Force Base Zamboanga to Indonesia, and they arrived on Sunday night in Jakarta Province.
Currently, they are undergoing a medical examination at the Central Army Hospital in Jakarta before being sent home to their families.
Four Indonesian citizens are still being held hostage in southern Philippines. The minister stated that the government continued to work to secure the release of the four Indonesians.
"This afternoon, at 1 p.m. local time, we will hold an evaluation meeting with the related ministries and agencies," he remarked.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
