VOLUNTEERS TO FREE SULU HOSTAGES SURFACE
JOLO, (ABS-CBN) - The
Sangguniang Panlalawigan and mayors of the 18 municipalities in Sulu have expressed
dissatisfaction with chief negotiator Robert Aventajado's handling of the hostage crisis.
They passed a resolution asking President Estrada to form
another negotiating team composed of local executives, headed by Sulu governor Abdusakur
Tan who is already a part of the Aventajado-led negotiating panel.
Confirming this, Tan told The World Tonight: "That was
the consensus in the joint meeting of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council and
Peace and Order Council. Local leaders want to help in the negotiations."
"The resolution adopted yesterday (Thursday) has not been
forwarded but there's a meeting tomorrow (Saturday) between Secretary Aventajado and
members of the Peace and Order council," Tan added.
Asked how the local team could make the difference in the
negotiations, Tan stressed, "We can put pressure on the community."
The 18 Sulu municipalities include Jolo, Indanan, Kalingalan,
Caluang, Lugus, Luuk, Maimbung, Old Panamao, Pandami, Panglima Estino (New Panamao),
Pangutaran, Parang, Pata, Patikul, Siasi, Talipao, Tapul, and Tongkil.
Tan clarified local leaders only want to help in the
negotiations which have been complicated by the kidnapping of 13 evangelists of the Jesus
Miracle Crusade (JMC), led by Wilde Almeda.
The evangelists handed over $3,000 and 35 sacks of rice to
gain access and pray over the 20 mostly foreign hostages the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped from a
Malaysian diving resort last April 23.
Aventajado's team also has to deal with the reportedly
demanded P10-million ransom for the release of ailing German hostage Renate Wallert, and
Filipino hostages Lucresia Dablo and Roland Ulla.
But Abu Sayyaf commander Ghalib Andang alias Commander Robot
had denied holding Almeda and his 13-man group, saying it was of the group's own free will
to stay.
So far, the only breakthrough in the three-month hostage
crisis came with the release of Malaysian hostage Zulkaiman Hashim some two weeks back.
More negotiators
Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sulu Rodinod Kiram II and the former
Philippine ambassador to Riyadh, Romulo Espaldon, have volunteered their services as
negotiators.
Kiram and Espaldon went to Malacañang on Friday to ask
President Estrada to appoint them as negotiators. However, they failed to see the
President.
Kiram and Espaldon are confident they will be able to free at
least three of the captives without paying ransom. One of them, they said, would be
Wallert.
"I am their Sultan, they respect me," Kiram said, as
he also revealed that he had done favors for the Abu Sayyaf in the past.
Asked about the tandem of Kiram and Espaldon, Tan said he
believes this will lead to complications within the negotiating panel and jeopardize the
talks.
"They will only complicate negotiations . . . they would
not know anything about the area," Tan said.
Concerned journalists
The plight of German journalist Andreas Lorenz, who was
kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf last Sunday, remains uncertain.
Local and foreign journalists covering the 75-day Sulu hostage
crisis took up the cudgels for Lorenz and called on the Abu Sayyaf for his safe release.
Among them are Philippine News Agency reporter Majal Sienes,
photographer Melvin Calderon, Armed Forces of the Philippines photographer Romy Cagad, and
Reuters reporter John Gilbuena.
In a letter signed by 16 journalists, they called on the rebel
group not to harm the Der Spiegel reporter since he had not committed any act against the
Abu Sayyaf.
The concerned journalists also sought the help of Tan and
other local executives to negotiate for Lorenz's freedom.
Until now, Abu Sayyaf leader Radulan Sahiron denies knowldge
of Lorenz's abduction despite its confirmation by the police.
(With reports Mandy Francisco and Gigi Grande)
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