18 July 2000 - ABS-CBN

MANILA, (ABS-CBN) - Newly freed German hostage Renate Wallert immediately left for Germany upon arriving in Manila from Zamboanga City on Monday evening.

She had been transported from Sulu, where she had been held captive for almost three months, to Zamboanga before being flown to Manila.

Wallert, 57, and suffering from severe hypertension, was accompanied by chief hostage crisis negotiator Secretary Robert Aventajado aboard chartered military plane RPC-689 which touched down at the Manila Domestic Airport at about 7:26 p.m.

Upon the advice of the German embassy here, Wallert skipped a check-up at the Makati Medical Center and a brief meeting with President Estrada.

German ambassador Wolfgang Goettleman brought Wallert immediately to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport where she boarded Lufthansa flight 547 bound for Frankfurt, Germany at about 8:40 p.m.

Earlier Monday, Wallert was elated over her release. Clad in a dark green blouse and printed trousers, she alternately waved and broke down as she was escorted to the chartered plane after being examined by a doctor at a military camp.

However, she expressed concern for the condition of her husband and son who are among 18 remaining hostages of the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf in Talipao, Sulu.

Even as Sulu vice governor Espino Munib claimed that ransoms were being paid for the hostages' freedom, Aventajado denied that a ransom was paid for Wallert's release.

Last July 9, Wallert's husband Werner wrote a letter to President Estrada, urging the Philippine government to reverse its no-ransom policy and agree to pay $1 million for his wife's release.

Aventajado called Wallert's release an act of goodwill by Abu Sayyaf commander Galib Andang alias Commander Robot.

He expressed optimism that more hostages would be freed in the days to come.

Wallert is the first European hostage to be freed by the Abu Sayyaf rebels, who earlier released two Malaysians, forest ranger Zulkarnian Hashim and police officer Abdul Juwan Sulawat.

The Abu Sayyaf had sought a million dollars for each of their original 21 hostages.

The Malaysian government had expressed openness to the payment of ransom for the release of the hostages, but the Philippine government has been professing a no-ransom policy.

As to the condition of evangelist Wilde Almeda's group of 13 still in the Abu Sayyaf lair, Aventajado they are getting weaker as they continue to fast.

Quoting Commander Robot, Aventajado said that Almeda and his fellow preachers of the Jesus Miracle Crusade insist to stay put but can leave the kidnappers' lair anytime they wish.

Dysentery
The government reportedly prioritized Wallert's release over that of the other hostages due to her failing health.

Wallert has been suffering from high blood pressure and chronic anxiety during her jungle captivity, according to doctors who visited her at the Abu Sayyaf's jungle camp.

Sulu health officer Dra. Nelsa Amin disclosed that Wallert's condition was critical after the latter was found to have blood in her stools, an indication that she is suffering from fatal amoebic dysentery.

Amin earlier said that she had warned Commander Robot of Wallert's deteriorating state.

The Abu Sayyaf still holds her husband Werner and son Marc, along with seven Malaysians, two French, two Finns, two South Africans, a Lebanese woman, and two Filipinos all abducted from the Sipadan island resort in Malaysia last April 23.

The kidnappers are also holding captive the 13 JMC evangelists and three French journalists. German journalist Andreas Lorenz is reportedly being held by a lost rebel command, not by the Abu Sayyaf.

Delighted
The German government expressed relief and elation over Wallert's release.

"I am very delighted. She is an ailing lady who had very great difficulties and we have been wishing for her release," German ambassador to the Philippines Wolfgang Gottleman said.

Malacañang shared the same sentiment, as Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said "The President was very pleased".

Sources said that the President was assured that four more European hostages would be released between now and July 24, or before President Estrada leaves for an official visit to the United States.

The four Europeans will reportedly be released either singly or as a group.

The Abu Sayyaf are also expected to free all seven remaining Malaysian hostages later this week, according to Malaysians working for their release.

Demands
Last week, Aventajado agreed to resume contacts with the Abu Sayyaf through a go-between to Commander Robot - an Abu Sayyaf commander holding most of the hostages and who has constantly presented new demands for the hostages' release.

"We are sorting out the demands as to which are doable and which are not,'' Aventajado said Sunday. "We are addressing the root cause of the problem, which is poverty,'' he added.

The revised demands include government assistance for various livelihood projects in Jolo, including an orange plantation that would be developed partly on land owned by Andang and would be turned into a cooperative for farmers, Aventajado said.

Another government negotiator said Andang dropped an earlier demand for the creation of an independent nation for the Philippines' Muslim minority, but is continuing to demand $1 million for the release of each European hostage.

It is not clear, however, how much control Andang has in the negotiations. Three other Abu Sayyaf leaders have clashed with him over the large ransom demand and withdrawal of the secessionist aim to establish an Islamic state, officials said.

The Abu Sayyaf, a once ideological band of Muslim extremists turned terrorists, are implicated in a series of kidnappings and fatal ambushes.

(With reports from the Associated Press)

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