| PHILIPPINES TO
OFFER REBELS PROJECTS, NOT RANSOM FOR HOSTAGES JOLO, Philippines (AP)--President Joseph Estrada's chief aide said Thursday
that negotiators would offer Muslim separatists holding 21 Western and Asian hostages
government projects instead of ransom.
Executive Secretary Ronaldo
Zamora also said the governments of the foreign hostages held on Jolo Island for nearly
two months could help by sending medicine and food to the captives, but they couldn't
meddle in negotiations.
"There will come a time
when they will demand a ransom and we would ask them not to seek ransom, but social
development projects," Zamora said in a radio interview.
The government has a policy of
not paying ransom to kidnappers. Monday, Zamora said the Abu Sayyaf rebels have demanded
at least US$1 million for each captive, but stressed that the government would stick to
its policy.
The rebels are holding three
Germans, two French, two Finns, two South Africans, a Lebanese, nine Malaysians and two
Filipinos seized April 23 from the Malaysian diving resort of Sipadan, an hour by boat
from Jolo.
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