Negotiators contact kidnappers over French
journalists
JOLO, Philippines, Sept 10
(AFP) - Philippine negotiators made fresh contacts Sunday with Muslim extremist kidnappers
in southern Jolo island in a bid to gain the freedom of two remaining French hostages,
sources close to the negotiations said.
Chief negotiator Roberto
Aventajado spoke to Abu Sayyaf leader Galib Andang by satellite phone to convince him to
release France 2 television newsmen Jean-Jacques le Garrec and Roland Madura, the last
Europeans still held by the group.
They were abducted in July
while covering a hostage crisis here which began with the abduction of 21 tourists and
resort workers from the Malaysian resort of Sipadan on April 23.
Abu Sayyaf gunmen have freed 20
of the hostages in batches, with the latest group -- a Frenchman, two Finns and a German
-- walking free on Saturday after a tense firefight between two rebel factions over ransom
money.
A Filipino dive instructor is
the only remaining Sipadan hostage, although two Abu Sayyaf factions are still holding an
American and 15 other Filipino Christian preachers, who themselves became captive after
going to the guerrilla lair to pray for the freedom of the hostages.
Sources close to the
negotiators said they were doubtful the Abu Sayyaf leaders would release the two French
captives on Sunday as they were grieving over the death of their colleagues killed in the
gunfight a day earlier.
Abu Sayyaf leaders Galib
Andang, alias Commander Robot, and Mujib Susukan, whose faction carried out the Sipadan
abductions, were ambushed by another faction apparently because of disputes over the
sharing of ransom money ahead of the release of the four Europeans Saturday.
At least two gunmen were
reported killed and eight others injured in the firefight, although sources said the
casualties might have been higher.
"There might not be a
release today," a source close to the negotiations said. "Robot and Mujib are
busy tending to their dead who are to be buried at noon. Both are expected to carry out a
revenge shortly after that."
A government emissary, retired
colonel Ernesto Pacuno, said he was awaiting instructions from Aventajado, who was in
nearby Zamboanga city, to visit the Abu Sayyaf hideout in nearby Jolo.
"I have not received any
instructions yet. But we are ready to do everything to get the two Frenchmen out,"
Pacuno told AFP by telephone.
Meanwhile, the four freed
hostages had been taken to central Cebu city awaiting the arrival of a Libyan chartered
airplane that would take them home via Tripoli.
Back to Sipadan Hostages News
Back
to This Week's Borneo News |
