| SULU GOVERNOR
REFUTES HOSTAGE RELEASE REPORTS By
Ali Mamat
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- The Governor of Sulu
Province in the Southern Philippine Abdul Sakur Tan today refuted reports by certain
agencies that the kidnappers, allegedly from the Abu Sayyaf Muslim separatist group had
decided to release some of the 21 hostages abducted from Sipadan Island on Sunday.
Infact he outrightly denied reports that the kidnappers had attempted to free 10 of the
hostages, all Malaysians, but aborted it when their boat mulfunctioned.
"Ridiculous and illogical...no kidnappers in their right frame of mind would do so
without any assurance of a safe passage such as taking along with them government
officials as a guarantee."
"Moreover, at the time the reports went into circulation, no official contact had
been established yet between the kidnappers and the authorities, apart from intelligence
gathering efforts. It could have been obtained from loose information," Abdul Sakur
told Bernama when contacted by phone in Jolo, the provincial capital of Sulu.
He suspected that such reports could have originated from "loose information"
obtained in the streets of Jolo and elsewhere in Southern Philippine where "everybody
seems to be anxious to discuss and speculate about the latest kidnapping incident".
Abdul Sakur said although he had not been officially requested by Prof Nur Misuari to
participate in any effort to secure the release of all the 21 hostages, he was closely
monitoring the development of the case because the area where the kidnappers kept their
captives was within his jurisdiction.
Misuari who is the regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
and chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was mandated by President Joseph
Estrada to lead the negotiation with the kidnappers and take what ever steps deemed fit to
solve the hostage crisis.
According to Abdul Sakur, since Jolo is now the centre of the whole drama, it was only
proper that he extended all the necessary assistance to ensure the safe release of the
hostages, even if he was not invited to be part of the crisis management team.
He confirmed earlier reports that from feedback he had gathered so far, all the hostages,
believed to be confined to Talipao, a densely forested hill village some 20km from Jolo,
are fine and well.
He was confident that being a
former rebel himself, Misuari could handle the issue well because of his vast knowledge of
the jungle and the terrain in Jolo and also he commanded the respect of most of the Moro
population.
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