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Philippine negotiators restart talks on hostage release |
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September 11, 2000
JOLO, Philippines (AP) - Negotiators sent a go-between into a Philippine jungle Saturday in hopes of convincing Muslim rebels to release all six Europeans they have held for months on a remote island. On Friday, the Abu Sayyaf rebels backed out of a promise to free all of the Europeans, instead offering only three. Government negotiators refused, canceling the release. "We are trying very hard to have the hostages released today and we are very confident that we will be successful," chief government negotiator Robert Aventajado said Saturday. He said rebel commander Ghalib "Robot" Andang was worried about a military assault if all the foreign hostages are freed. "He said he needed to release only three and retain the balance of three because he is afraid the military will attack after he has released all six," Aventajado said. Aventajado said he attempted to convince Andang that an attack was unlikely as long as the rebels are holding another group of 12 Filipino Christian evangelists. Another negotiator, however, said he expected only four Europeans would be released Saturday. The go-between traveled into the jungle to meet Andang, carrying a new satellite phone to replace one the rebel leader broke in a fit of anger Friday, a member of the negotiating panel said. The phone is used for contacts between Andang and Aventajado. The Abu Sayyaf rebels are still holding two Finns, a French and a German kidnapped April 23 from Malaysia's Sipadan diving resort. They are also holding two French television journalists and the 12 evangelists - both groups seized in early July when they visited the rebels' camp on southern Jolo island. A separate faction is holding an American, Jeffrey Schilling, who was kidnapped in late August. Libyan officials, who are helping lead the negotiations for the Sipadan hostages, prepared only dlrs 4 million in ransom, enough to pay for just four hostages, an official close to the negotiating panel said. Libya has resisted paying for the two TV journalists, saying their company should be responsible. Last week Libya reportedly paid dlrs 6 million for the release of six other Westerners from the group. It insists the money will go for development projects, not directly to the rebels. Schilling, 24, a Muslim convert from Oakland, California, was seized Aug. 28 when he visited a rebel camp with his Filipino Muslim wife, Ivi Osani. Osani, who is the second cousin of rebel spokesman Abu Sabaya, was not abducted. Sabaya has repeatedly rejected the negotiator appointed by the government to work for Schilling's release, provincial Vice Governor Munib Estino, and demanded a national government official instead. He also refused Friday to accept a box from Estino of food and medicine for Schilling prepared by the Red Cross. The rebels have not announced their demands for Schilling's release, although Sabaya has privately demanded dlrs 10 million, negotiators said. The government has been criticized for the long negotiations and high ransom payments for the hostages' release. The massive ransoms are widely expected to encourage more kidnappings in the violence-prone southern Philippines. President Joseph Estrada said he is calling a meeting of the National Security Council to rethink the government's strategy in dealing with kidnappers. |
