| ESTRADA
ASSURES SAFETY OF ABU CAPTIVESBy Mirasol Ng-Gadil
PRESIDENT
Estrada reassured the international community yesterday that his government continues to
put a premium on the safety of the remaining hostages held by the Abu Sayyaf group above
all other considerations.
Mr. Estrada’s
assurance came as reports reached Manila that some of the female hostages were allegedly
being sexually abused by leaders of the terrorists.
“We are
waiting for the negotiations. We cannot rush the process. We can do this, but
our paramount concern is the hostages’ safety. They should be freed unharmed,”
Estrada said in an interview with a local radio station.
A Manila-based
newspaper recently carried a startling story narrating that female hostages were “found
crying all throughout the night after they were taken to undisclosed places with some of
the bandits’ chieftains.”
Quoting military
intelligence reports, the newspaper reported that other hostages, who were left in their
safehouse, suspected that the female hostages were sexually abused by ASG commanders
hooked on drugs.
Patience
The Chief
Executive also asked the governments of the foreign hostages to stretch their patience a
little bit more, assuring them that government chief negotiator Robert Aventajado is
exploring all peaceful avenues to secure the release of the foreign hostages.
Last Thursday, the
Abu Sayyaf released German journalist Andreas Lorenz and one of the 13 local evangelists
led by Bro. Wilde Almeda, Danny Cuarteros.
The bandits
allegedly demanded an undetermined amount of money for the liberty of Almeda and his
Christian preachers.
Four other
journalists are being detained by the extremist group. They include three French nationals
and researchers Val Cuenca and Maan Macapagal of local television network ABS-CBN.
The Abu Sayyaf
also kidnapped three months ago two Filipinos and several foreign hostages from a resort
island in Malaysia and later brought them to Jolo and several Filipino civilians in
Basilan.
So far, the Abu
Sayyaf has released German female hostage Renate Wallert, five Malaysians, two Filipino
teachers, and a teenage Filipino male captive.
--with a report from Faber Concepcion
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