| AVENTAJADO
IN CHARGE OF TALKS WITH ABU THUGS JOLO, Sulu—Two govern-ment
negotiators yesterday resumed talks with the Abu Sayyaf and said the terrorists
might release their captives from a jungle encampment in the coming days.
“We might
have a release in the coming days,” Farouk Hussein, one of the negotiators, said
after meeting the Abu Sayyaf in a house in remote Talipao town in Sulu.
“Every time
we sit down with the rebel leaders it is always a step forward,” Hussein said,
without providing other details.
Another
negotiator, Libyan envoy Ashad Abdul Rajab Azzarouq, flashed the thumbs-up sign and smiled
to Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan upon arriving in Jolo.
Tan, who is
celebrating his 50th birthday, said his wish was for the Abu Sayyaf to come to their
senses and release all their captives.
Before the
announcement of the impending release, chief government negotiator Robert Aventajado said
in Manila he has taken lone charge of the negotiations with the terrorists.
In his
announcement, Aventajado explained this new tack would help hasten to end the ordeal of
the hostages, many of whom have been detained by the terrorists for about 8l days since
they were abducted from the Malaysian diving resort of Sipadan Island off Sabah on Easter
Sunday, April 23.
Aventajado said he
and Ghalib Andang, alias Commander Robot, had decided to communicate directly instead
through emissaries. Or if the need arises, he added, the two sides would use one
go-between whom he refused to identify.
“He wants to
come up with a solution quickly. He is confused with so many emissaries,”
Aventajado said,
referring to Ghalib who had admitted holding 36 of the 40 hostages.
Aventajado made
the announcement hours before the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Finland were
scheduled to arrive in Manila to urge the government to quickly resolve the issue.
The foreign
ministers were to meet last night with President Estrada in Malacanang where they would
discuss the steps taken by the government to address the crisis.
Foreign ministers
Errki Tuomioja of Finland, Hubert Vedrine of France and Joschka Fischer of Germany would
be briefed by Mr. Estrada on the latest developments in the hostage crisis.
Vedrine and
Fischer are coming from a conference of foreign ministers of eight industrialized nations
in Japan.
‘Prayer
warriors’
Also in
Malacanang, Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora expressed fear that the terrorists would
harm the “prayer warriors,” led by evangelist Wilde Almeda of the Jesus Miracle
Crusade, who refused to heed the warning of officials and proceeded to the Abu Sayyaf camp
for 40 days of prayer and fasting for the release of the hostages.
“We should
remember that in this situation, we cannot rely solely on prayers,” Zamora said.
“Good intentions are not enough. We are worried over the possibility that the
captives would be hurt, including the group of Reverend Almeda. They do not know what kind
of difficulties they are facing.
In a related
development, one of the hostages, German journalist Andreas Lorenz of the Der Spiegel
magazine, was also scheduled to be released yesterday to Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan.
A report from a
government-owned radio station in the Sulu capital town of Jolo said the release was the
terrorists’ gift to Tan who celebrated his 5lst birthday yesterday.
Lorenz was
abducted July 2 barely a day before Almeda and his “prayer warriors” entered the
Abu Sayyaf camp where they are now reportedly detained by Commander Robot.
The Abu
Sayyaf kidnapped 21 people from the Malaysian diving resort on April 23 and brought them
to Sulu about an hour away by boat.
They released a
Malaysian forest ranger but are still holding eight other Malaysians, three Germans, two
French nationals, two South Africans, two Finns, two Filipinos and a Lebanese.
--Faber Concepcion with Reuters and AP
Back to Sipadan Hostages News
Back
to This Week's Borneo News |
