| ABU SAYYAF
TERRORISTS RELEASE ANOTHER MALAYSIAN THE Jolo-based band of Abu
Sayyaf terrorists have set free a Malaysian hostage abducted in April, sources close to
negotiations between the kidnappers and government officials said yesterday.
They identified
the man as Abdul Juwandi Suwala and said he was being taken from Jolo, where he was held,
to Zamboanga City. He was set to meet chief negotiator Robert Aventajado yesterday or
today (Saturday), the sources said.
Sulu Governor
Abdusakur Tan, meantime, laughed off reports that the Malaysian’s release was a
result of the back-channel talks initiated by Malaysian officials.
“Malaysia had
nothing to do with the release (of Suwala). The Abu Sayyaf (terrorists) released him
with no ransom paid. Walang perang involved dito (No money changed hands),” Tan
told THE MANILA TIMES in a phone interview.
Suwala was freed
because he “was the most prayerful among the hostages,” Tan said.
The Abu Sayyaf
rebels kidnapped 21 people from a Malaysian resort island on April 23. This is the second
Malaysian they have released but they are still holding seven others along with three
Germans, two French nationals, two Finns, two South Africans, two Filipinos and a
Lebanese.
No force
As this developed,
President Estrada reiterated his government will not use force to free 40 hostages,
including 22 foreigners, being held by Muslim extremists.
He assured
the foreign ministers of Germany, France and Finland, who arrived here
Thursday, that government was bent on finding a peaceful and rapid solution to the hostage
crisis.
The visiting
foreign ministers had earlier asked Mr. Estrada not to authorize the use of force in
freeing the hostages in an apparent reaction to reports that select members of the
Philippine National Police (PNP) were preparing to mount a commando-style operation to end
the 82-day-old hostage crisis.
Executive
Secretary Ronaldo Zamora acknowledged that the European officials were worried over the
prospects of forced rescue of the hostages,
The Palace
official also disclosed that Aventajado was expecting a breakthrough in the talks with the
Abu Sayyaf bandits either yesterday or today
Assurances
German Foreign
Minister Joschka Fischer told reporters he was thankful for assurances from Estrada and
other officials that “there will be a peaceful, sound, and we hope quick release of
all hostages.”
“They know
what we expect,” added French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine.
The hostages
include five French, four Germans, two Finns, two South Africans, a Lebanese, eight
Malaysians and 18 Filipinos. All but a German journalist are believed to be held by the
Abu Sayyaf, a band of Muslim extremists accused of a wide range of kidnappings and attacks
on Christians in the past.
Finnish Foreign
Minister Errki Tuomioja released a letter written by one of the hostages, Finn Risto
Vahanen, appealing for their release.
“Our mental
condition is getting worse every day and it is not far from one of us committing suicide,”
Vahanen wrote. “Please do your utmost to get us out of these inhumane conditions
without delay, peacefully without force.”
Aventajado said
the foreign ministers appeared to be satisfied with the Philippines’ explanation of
its attempts to resolve the hostage crisis, although they expressed “a little bit of
impatience.”
Aventajado
suspended formal negotiations with Abu Sayyaf leaders more than one month ago after the
rebels began escalating their demands.
He said yesterday
he was optimistic after talking twice the previous day by telephone with Ghalib
Andang, an Abu Sayyaf leader holding 36 of the hostages.
Andang, also known
as Commander Robot, proposed that all future contacts be handled by one go-between because
of confusion created by the large number of unofficial emissaries who have been visiting
the rebels, Aventajado said.
Aventajado said he
agreed but did not identify the go-between.
However, in a
reflection of ongoing confusion within the government negotiating team, two other
negotiators nevertheless visited the Abu Sayyaf on Thursday.
$1-M each
Officials earlier
said Andang has offered to drop all his previous political demands for the release of the
hostages, including creation of an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines,
if about $1 million in ransom is paid for each of the hostages.
The European
foreign ministers said they were bound by an international agreement not to pay any
ransom.
The Abu Sayyaf
abducted an original group of 21 hostages from a diving resort being claimed by both
Malaysia and Indonesia on April 23. One Malaysian from that group, a forest ranger, has
been freed.
The rebels then
seized 13 Filipino Christian evangelists who traveled to their camp on July 1 and three
French journalists who went there last Sunday to interview the original hostages. They are
also holding three Filipinos kidnapped from nearby Basilan island.
They are also
being blamed for the abduction of a German journalist for Der Speigel magazine, but have
denied involvement in that case.
The Abu Sayyaf is
the smaller of two Muslim rebel groups fighting the Philippine government. Government
troops recently seized the headquarters of the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front in
southern Maguindanao province.¨
-- Joel R. San Juan, Mirasol Ng-Gadil, Manny B. Marinay and charmaine
Deogracias with AP, Reuters
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