| ABU SAYYAF
TO GOVT: "TOO MANY HOSTAGES, SO LETS TALK PEACE" Rebel leader asks for new
emissaries after the government suspended talks a month ago, as a Libyan mediator arrives
to resolve the crisis
MANILA -- Abu Sayyaf rebel
group leader Ghalib Andang, better known as Commander Robot, has complained that his group
has more captives than it can handle and is pressing the government to resume talks for
the release of 40 hostages.
""Let's talk. We have
already 36 hostages, there are too many hostages here already,'' he told chief Philippine
government negotiator Robert Aventajado.
The bandits actually have 40
captives, but Commander Robot left out in his count German journalist Andreas Lorenz of
Der Spiegel magazine, who was abducted by armed men on July 2 while covering Jolo's
hostage crisis, and three Filipinos kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan, the Philippine
Star reported.
He also requested that two new
people act as liaisons between the guerillas and government negotiators.
The rebel leader complained
that numerous emissaries sent by negotiators have created confusion and were hampering
talks for the captives' release.
Mr Aventajado agreed with the
rebel leader that only two emissaries are to be used as go-betweens to break the impasse
in the 12-week-long hostage drama.
""He will give the
bottom-line demands of the Abu Sayyaf to this person so that we can resolve this
situation,'' Mr Aventajado said.
He had suspended negotiations
with the guerillas about a month ago when the rebels began rifling off demands.
Since then, government
negotiators have used emissaries to communicate with the hostage-takers.
In a related development,
Agence France-Presse reported that Jolo police were put through combat exercises
yesterday, as an influential Libyan mediator flew in for talks to end the hostage crisis.
Mr Rajab Azzarouq, who has
resolved several high-profile Philippine kidnappings in the past, said he would warn the
rebels that they could face tragic consequences if they did not release their hostages.
The former Libyan ambassador to
the Philippines said last week that the Abu Sayyaf would be offered development aid in
exchange for the hostages.
""If you don't accept
our package, you are on your own or you have to face the music, which could be a tragic
one,'' he said in a warning to the rebel group.
Mr Abdusakur Tan, the governor
of Sulu province, which includes Jolo island, said he hoped for ""some positive
results'' from the upcoming meetings.
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