| Sayyaf threatens to behead Schilling ZAMBOANGA CITY, (ABS-CBN) - Abu
Sayyaf spokesperson Abu Sabaya issued a stern warning on Wednesday that they will behead
the abducted American national, whom they accused of being a Central Intelligence Agency
Agent if the Philippine government fails to give in to their demands.
Sabaya said that they will give their three-point demand on
Thursday, even as he reiterated his group's oft-repeated 'scare scheme' that they will
behead Jeffrey Craig Edwards Schilling.
"Dapat maghanda ang Malacañang....kapag sinabi
naming pupugutan namin ito ng ulo, pupugutan namin," he said in a radio
interview.
["Malacañang should prepare itself because when we say
that we are going to behead Schilling, we will not hesitate."]
Meanwhile, the Abu Sayyaf also claimed that Schilling's
Filipina fiancé is also an intelligence agent.
In a local radio interview on Wednesday, Abu Sayyaf
spokesperson Abu Sabaya revealed Ivy Osani, Schilling's fiance is a deep penetration agent
of the American CIA.
Sabaya reportedly pointed out that Osani was instrumental in
the arrest of several leaders of the Abu Sayyaf. He, however refused to elaborate.
"Ginamit siya ng CIA itong si Ivy na ito
para ....dito, kamag-anak ko nga ito," he reportedly said.
["The CIA used Ivy, who is my relative."]
A mother's plight
Following confirmation of reports that the Abu Sayyaf rebels
have Schilling in their custody, police invited Osani for questioning late Tuesday
afternoon then turned her over to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force
(PAOCTF) on Tuesday night.
Her mother, Aida Ajijul, took the first ferry out of Basilan
to Zamboanga on Wednesday to see Ivy. Mrs. Ajijul confirmed she is related to Sabaya's
father.
But PAOCTF officials told Ajijul that Ivy was transferred to a
local hospital after she developed fever.
Meanwhile, Ajijul has threatened to seek legal assistance to
secure the freedom of her daughter after the local PAOCTF failed to produce her late
Wednesday.
For his part, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) regional
director Manuel Mamauag said Mrs. Ajijul has to file a formal petition before the CHR
steps in.
A police source has confirmed that charges may be filed
against Ivy but could not expound on the specifics.
Hours after news of Schilling's
kidnapping broke out Tuesday, a new twist developed after Ivy herself admitted that her
uncle, Sabaya, invited her and Schilling to visit the Abu Sayyaf camp in Patikul town in
Jolo, Sulu.
They accepted Sabaya's invitation last Sunday. When they were
at the outskirts of Jolo town, Sabaya's men took Schilling hostage but set Ivy free.
... and another mother's plight
"I'm just scared, " said Carol Schilling, Jeffrey's
mother, her eyes rimmed red and her voice trembling as she reacts to her son's abduction.
"I don't know what's going to happen next. I'm just hoping that everybody will pray
for him - I'd like him home safe," she added.
Aside from Schilling, the Abu Sayyaf is currently holding 22
hostages in their jungle lair in Talipao town, Jolo, Sulu.
Four of the original 21 Sipadan hostages remain in Abu Sayyaf
custody as five of them were released last Sunday. Another South African was freed at noon
on Monday.
Two French television journalists abducted while covering the
hostage crisis remain in captivity. Also being held in the rebel lair are 16 Filipino
hostages, including the preachers from the Jesus Miracle Crusade (JMC) led by Wilde
Almeda.
Late Monday night, a ring at the door from the Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI) confirmed her fears.
And fearful of saying anything that could worsen the
situation, Mrs. Schilling declined to talk about the specifics of the kidnapping.
But she and family friend Anthony Rodgers did dispute the
rebel spokesman's claim that her son worked for the CIA.
"This is in essence simply a love story. He just met a
girl in the Philippines and fell in love. That's all the story is," Rodgers said.
"There's no CIA involvement. He's apolitical. He's not
involved in any kind of terrorist group. He's just a guy who happens to be in love,"
he added.
Mrs. Schilling said her son went to visit the Philippines in
March partly because of a longtime interest in the region - he has a degree in Near
Eastern Studies from the University of California at Berkeley - and also to see the sister
of some friends in Oakland.
As it turned out, he fell in love with the sister and ended up
staying in the Philippines, extending his tourist visa twice.
Carol Schilling had tried three times to persuade her son to
leave the Philippines. "He didn't come out. He was too much in love."
But recently, Jeffrey had changed his mind and had been
planning to fly home on September 3, intending to look for a job and start planning a
future for himself and his fiancé, she said.
"I had looked forward to him coming home and now I'm just
scared," she said.
She said her son converted to Islam six years ago.
"We do not blame Islam or Muslims for the
kidnapping," she said.
Schilling said she he has no idea why her son was taken, but
at six feet tall he tends to stand out in a crowd.
"I think they were looking for any American they could
get and they found one," she said
(With reports from Jun del Rosario and Pal
Marquez)
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