Reghis Romero II, the construction magnate abducted by members of the Abu Sayyaf from a beach resort in Palawan, denied before a Congressional inquiry yesterday, allegations that his family paid the bandits millions of pesos for his safety.

Romero stuck to his story that he managed to break free from his kidnappers on his own, but lawmakers were quick to express doubts about his testimony, saying the way he escaped was unbelievable.

He was bombarded with questions by congressmen on how he managed to evade his captors in Lamitan town during the military's fire fight with the Abu Sayyaf, who raided a local hospital on June 2.

The House committee on national defence is investigating the alleged collusion between soldiers and Abu Sayyaf bandits.

"It's so frustrating, of course," said Romero, vowing never to return to the House if summoned again. In an interview, he said: "What we're fighting is the Abu Sayyaf, not the hostages. But it seems we are the ones being investigated and not the Abu Sayyaf."

Representative Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga said during the proceedings that 20 other witnesses from Lamitan have testified that Romero, along with his girlfriend Ma. Rhiza Santos Rodriguez, was released by the Moro bandits after they paid millions of pesos in ransom.

Lobregat read from the testimonies of other witnesses saying that they heard a kidnapper telling Romero that he could run for his freedom.

He added that in one account, Romero was even told to bring with him RJ Recio, a boy who was among 20 people kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf bandits from the Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan.

Lobregat said the residents of Lamitan who testified in support of Catholic priest Cirilo Nacorda's allegations that the military had colluded with the Abu Sayyaf on June 2 could not possibly be giving the Moro bandits some 'propaganda' by implying that the latter were good Samaritans.

For his part, Representative Juan Miguel Zubiri of Bukidnon criticised as being 'unreal' the video footage presented by Romero before the defence committee showing his escape.

The video footage shows Romero in tattered pyjamas and dragging with him a boy (Recio) and a woman (Rodriguez) when armed men in camouflage uniforms met them.

Zubiri said he finds it 'strange' that there was no firing in the background. He also asked where Romero got the tape.

Romero said there was obviously a lull in the firefight. The video, on the other hand, was acquired through his son's effort to extract available documentation from the media and the military.