Basilan Governor Wahab Akbar clarified before a Congressional hearing that he was not part of the group that formed the extremist Abu Sayyaf in the 1990s.

Testifying before the House hearing on the alleged collusion between the military and the Abu Sayyaf, Akbar said he was recognised as a "potential leader" when he was with the Islam group "Juma Taglib" from 1987 to 1989.

He said he became part of this group only after his return from Syria for business and education reasons.

Akbar stressed this happened before the Abu Sayyaf, otherwise known as the Al Harakatul Islamia, was organised.

He was asked to testify in the Congressional hearing after two civilian witnesses alleged that Akbar had brokered the alleged payment of ransom to the Abu Sayyaf for the release of construction magnate Reghis Romero II and two other hostages on June 2 in Lamitan town, Basilan.

Alexander Young adds from Isabela City: A former hostage who blew the whistle on some military officers for allegedly conniving with the bandit group Abu Sayyaf is now blaming a major television network for linking local officials in the controversy by maliciously misquoting him.
Lamitan parish priest Fr. Cirilo Nacorda denied he ever named Akbar and Lamitan municipal Mayor Inocente Ramos as among several local officials who profited from the Army-Abu Sayyaf alleged collusion.

Nacorda said television giant ABS-CBN pressured him to give a statement linking the two officials in the controversy. But he said he refused to name any local official saying he had no evidence against them.

"They tried to make me talk about two local government officials who may be involved in the collusion. But I never mentioned any names," Nacorda said.

"I was later shocked when the report came out on TV Patrol and they flashed the photos of Gov. Akbar and Mayor Ramos. It was even followed up by (newsreader) Corina Sanchez that I mentioned their names."

Nacorda has accused Brig. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, Col. Jovenal Narcise and three other Army officer of conniving with the Abu Sayyaf and allowing the bandit group to escape from the Dr. Jose Torres Memorial Hospital and the St. Peter's Church compound in Lamitan, where the Moro bandits were holed up on June 2.

Nacorda's revelations have spurred two separate inquiries by the House and the Senate committees on national defence and security.