President Joseph Estrada said yesterday he would file a diplomatic protest to the German government following allegations from Munich-based Der Spiegel that he took 40 per cent of the $20 million ransom payment for the Abu Sayyaf for the release of some 43 hostages in southern Philippines from June 24 to October 25.

"I asked (Foreign) Secretary (Domingo) Siazon to file a protest and my lawyers are also contemplating filing a libel suit against that magazine," said Estrada when approached by reporters yesterday.

"(Yes), it's diplomatic protest because the charges are baseless. I don't know where they got those (report)," Estrada clarified, adding: "(It will be a) protest against the magazine, because the press is independent there (in Germany), right?"

Aventajado got 10pc

The same magazine claimed that negotiator Roberto Aventajado got 10 per cent of the ransom money.

Estrada hinted that the opposition has something to do with Der Spiegel's story, adding the National Union of Christian Democrats (NUCD), a part of the opposition LAKAS party, has 'close ties' with Germany's Christian Democrats.

In response, former president Corazon Aquino asked Aventajado to explain his side, instead of blaming the opposition for Der Spiegel's story.

"He should explain his side because the accusations are coming from international agencies, not from us," said Aquino in a press conference at Manila's De La Salle University.

At the same time, Philippine National Police Chief Panfilo Lacson asked for the investigation of the foreign press for their participation in Der Spiegel's report.

"There is a PR (public relations) firm (which is working for the opposition for the publication of anti-government stories) in the international media. They (opposition) are not content with (stories coming out from) the local media," said Lacson.

At the same time, Lacson asked his German counterpart to back-track and change allegations that Estrada participated in the alleged kickback from ransom money.

"We are in talks with the German police. We have asked them whether they could issue an official denial. They have not decided. They have to decide it among themselves," said Lacson.

"Nowhere in the conversations was there mention about commissions, much less the allusion that President Estrada got something or even suggestions that he would get anything," explained Lacson, adding he received a transcript of the conversation since the Philippine police sent Filipino Muslims who could speak Tausug to stay in Germany for a month to help the German secret police.

Sources said Lacson did not receive a copy of the entire transcript, adding the one he got, did not include the conversation about kickbacks from the ransom money.

Der Spiegel quoted extensively from reports of the German secret police, which had tapped satellite phone conversations between Aventajado and Abu Sayyaf leader Ghalib Andang, known as Commander Robot. Satellite phone brought to Abu Sayyaf camp.

Lacson admitted the German police had placed a satellite equipment inside the headquarters of the Abu Sayyaf group during the negotiations between Aventajado and Abu Sayyaf leader Andang, for the release of the hostages.