| SAYYAF WANTS
$21-M RANSOM FOR HOSTAGES JOLO—Muslim extremists holding 21
mostly foreign hostages in a jungle camp are demanding at least $1 million for each
captive, and negotiations for their release could last up to six months, President Estrada’s
chief aide said yesterday.
Government negotiators are also trying to
resume food supplies and medical missions to the hostages, who are being held by Abu
Sayyaf rebels in the mountains of remote Talipao on southern Jolo island, Executive
Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said.
“That’s what the Abu Sayyaf is
demanding,” Zamora said in a radio interview, referring to the ransom demand.
The government and rebels so far have
focused on the guerrillas’ political demands, including a separate Islamic state in
the southern Philippines, but will eventually have to haggle over a ransom, Zamora said.
No ransom
Chief government negotiator Roberto
Aventajado has said he will stick to a Philippine government policy of not paying any
ransom to kidnappers and will not allow any other parties to negotiate separately with the
rebels.
Press Secretary Ricardo Puno confirmed this,
saying, “We’re not talking about ransom, the official policy of the government
is that no ransom will be paid.”
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar,
during his visit to Manila, expressed concern
over the slow pace of negotiations for the release of the 21 hostages, including nine
Malaysians. He suggested last week that the Philippines should reverse its no-ransom
policy.
The Abu Sayyaf is the smaller and more
extreme of two rebel groups fighting for an independent Islamic state in the impoverished
southern Philippines.
The rebels seized three Germans, two French,
two Finns, two South Africans, a Lebanese, nine Malaysians and two Filipinos on April 23
from Malaysia’s Sipadan diving resort and brought them to Jolo at the southern tip of
the Philippines, about an hour’s boat ride away.
Six months
Zamora said the governments of the hostages
are prodding the Philippine government to work for the rapid release of the hostages. But
he warned that negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas could drag on for up to six
months.
Several of the hostages have fallen ill and
all have suffered from depression during their jungle captivity.
Two weeks ago, the rebels separated the
Caucasian hostages from the Asians because of fears of a possible military rescue attempt.
Since then, food and medical deliveries to the hostages have been suspended.
A government emissary who spoke on condition
of anonymity said the food and medical deliveries will not be resumed unless the rebels
reveal the whereabouts of the Caucasians, who are believed to be held about a kilometer
(half a mile) from their former camp, where the Asians remain.
Political demands
Abu Sayyaf rebels said last week they would
no longer talk with Aventajado after he said the government would not rule out a military
rescue if talks with the rebels fail. The rebels later said Aventajado could continue as
negotiator after he clarified that he was not endorsing a rescue of the hostages.
In
several negotiating sessions, the rebels have refused to abandon their demand for an
independent nation. The government, however, has repeatedly ruled out any breakup of the
Philippines.
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