| Negotiators expect
Almeda, JMC preachers to be freed soon JOLO, (ABS-CBN) - Government negotiators said
Friday they expect the 12 evangelists from the Jesus Miracle Crusade (JMC) headed by Wilde
Almeda to be released soon by their Abu Sayyaf captors.
Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan said, "We are nearing in our
objective".
Tan also said he is optimistic the remaining three Malaysians,
two Filipinos, and nine Western hostages seized by Abu Sayyaf bandits from the Sipadan
Island diving resort in Malaysia last April 23 "will be settled within two
weeks."
"Personally, I'm upbeat about the release," he
added.
Unconfirmed reports claimed that the anticipated release of
the JMC hostages may take place this weekend, while that of at least six of the Sipadan
hostages may follow shortly.
Earlier, Hector Buclao, a former local official who had helped
the evangelists gain access to the Abu Sayyaf bandits' lair on July 1, claimed the JMC
members would emerge from captivity late Friday afternoon. However, his announcement
turned out to be false.
Buclao claimed on Thursday that the Christian evangelist group
left the bandits' lair camp and were awaiting a van that would take them back to the
capital town of Jolo. He said the preachers were weak from fasting.
The government's chief negotiator Robert Aventajado recently
announced he would have nothing to do with negotiations for the release of the JMC
members, saying they entered the Abu Sayyaf camp of their own free will.
Wire reports earlier said the
Abu Sayyaf demanded a P120-million ransom in exchange for the freedom of the evangelists.
One JMC member, Danilo Cuarteros, was conditionally freed to
come up with the supposed ransom.
Thirteen members of the group originally went to the Abu
Sayyaf camp to "pray over" the Sipadan hostages, with the hope of securing their
release.
The group paid $3,000 and gave 30 sacks of rice to gain entry.
However, the JMC members were later turned into captives, as
Abu Sayyaf leaders confirmed they had abducted the evangelists and even threatened to
behead some of them for preaching aloud.
Two weeks ago, Cuarteros emerged from the kidnappers' hideout
insisting the JMC was merely continuing a 40-day religious fast.
Chief government negotiator Robert Aventajado had also earlier
said Abu Sayyaf leader Galib Andang told him the preachers were not being held against
their will.
The Abu Sayyaf are also holding three French TV journalists
who were seized last month while seeking an interview with the Sipadan hostages, as well
as three Filipino Christian laborers who were working in a quarry near the guerilla
hideout.
Six Malaysians and a German woman among the Sipadan hostages,
besides two Filipino TV journalists and a German reporter, have been freed.
Unidentified groups have paid at least P245 million to the
kidnappers amid the Philippine government's no-ransom policy, the country's Armed Forces
chief Gen. Angelo Reyes admitted earlier this week.
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