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5 others likely to be released soon |
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July 23, 2000
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) - Three Malaysians and two Filipinos being held hostage by Philippine Muslim rebels are likely to be released soon, government negotiators said Saturday. All five have been held in a jungle hide-out on southern Jolo island since being abducted in a group of 21 people by Abu Sayyaf rebels from Malaysia's Sipadan diving resort April 23. Six other Malaysians and an ailing German woman have already been freed from the group. But a dispute ut 50 teachers and students seized March 20 from two schools on nearby Basilan island. They survived a military assault on the main Abu Sayyaf stronghold and weeks of flight through the jungle with the rebels to escape pursuing troops. "I'm glad that she's back," said Academia's husband, Romeo, also a teacher. "I won't say anything about the rebels. The important thing is my wife is back." At one time Academia wrote her husband asking him to raise 250,000 pesos (dlrs 5,600) for her release, her husband said. "But it's impossible to raise that on a teacher's salary, so I decided to wait and see what happened with the government negotiations," he said. Four Malaysians who were also released Friday have already returned home. The rebels had earlier promised to free the last three Malaysians as well, but refused to turn them over to envoys sent by negotiators to an Abu Sayyaf hide-out on Jolo. The breaking of the agreement apparently resulted from disagreements among the rebel leaders over how to divide the ransom, negotiators said. The Abu Sayyaf consists of several hundred heavily armed rebels divided into several bands led by at least five separate commanders. The group has been accused of banditry, kidnappings and numerous attacks on Christians in the past. Since the Sipadan abduction, the Abu Sayyaf has also seized three French TV journalists and 13 Filipino Christian evangelists. A separate armed group on Jolo is believed to be holding a German reporter for Der Speigel magazine. On Monday, the rebels released their first European captive, Renate Wallert. The series of releases in the past week has raised hopes for an early resolution of the hostage crisis, but reports of disputes among the Abu Sayyaf leaders have tempered that optimism. Tensions also have erupted within the government negotiating team, with Aventajado accusing Lee Peng Wee, a former presidential adviser with business interests in Malaysia, of violating instructions and endangering the talks. Combined, the remaining hostages consist of six French, three Germans, two Finns, two South Africans, 15 Filipinos and three Malaysians. |
