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15 May 2000; 16:30 pm - Bernama

PHILIPPINE SENIOR OFFICIAL LAMBASTED FOREIGN MEDIA FOR UNFAIR REPORT

KOTA KINABALU, May 15 (Bernama) -- A Philippine senior official said Monday that the Sipadan hostage-taking incident by a rebel group based in the southern Philippines has been "magnified too much" by some international media.

He , giving the impression of instability in the whole southern region of the country.

Chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Coucil, Sebastian L. Angliongto said that it gave an impression of instability in the whole southern region of his country.

Angliongto said the action by the Abu Sayyaf was merely for money.

"Kidnap for money happened in the other parts of the world...it is just that it happened in our side but now it is just a question of time it will be back to normal," he told reporters after presenting a working paper at an international business conference, here.

On April 23, six men armed with AK-47 rifles and a bazooka launcher abducted 21 people from the Sipadan diving resort and sped off in two boats towards the Philippine waters.

The captives comprise nine Malaysians, three Germans, two French, two South Africans, two Finns, two Filipinos and a Labenese. They are now held in a jungle hideout on Jolo island in the southern Philippines.

Anglionto, who is also the Philippine senior official for the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines - East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), said the situation in the southern Philippines especially in Mindanao was under control and as such, the incident would not affect the future of the growth triangle.

"The incident in Sipadan is very unfortunate...the hostages are brought to a certain area which does not even consist of 1 per cent of the total area of Mindanao, but they used the term Mindanao and this is very unfair because majority of the area is stable," he said.

Asked about the latest development on the incident, he said: "In a hostage situation, it is not easy to handle because what is at stake are the lives of the hostages.

"If not because of the lives of the hostages, I think our police could have wiped them (kidnappers) out.

"It is so unpredictable but what our forces had done was to cordon the area. May be in the course of time, they (the kidnappers) may run out of food."

When asked to comment on the motive of the kidnapping, he said: "I don't think it has a political issue. It is more of money consideration but they (the kidnappers) are now in a very difficult situation because they are being cordoned".

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