Philippines To Get Tough On Rebels
By BULLIT MARQUEZ, Associated Press Writer
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) -
Muslim rebels threatened Wednesday to behead an American they are holding captive, and the
Philippine government considered a tougher approach on hostage-takers, fearing that
ransoms paid for other hostages could encourage more abductions.
``We do not joke,'' said Abu
Sabaya, spokesman of the Abu Sayyaf rebels. ``When we say we will behead someone, we will
behead him.''
The rebels announced Tuesday
they had abducted Jeffrey Schilling of Oakland, Calif., said they would announce their
demands in three days, and warned they would kill Schilling if the United States didn't
accept.
The extremist group is holding
18 other hostages on southern Jolo island after releasing six Westerners earlier this week
for a reported $6 million paid by Libya.
Critics have warned that the
large ransom payment will encourage more kidnappings in the southern Philippines. Abu
Sayyaf has received more than $11.5 million in ransom for the releases of the six hostages
this week and other releases in recent months, including another Westerner and nine
Malaysians, according to estimates by negotiators and the military.
``We cannot go on like this,''
said presidential executive secretary Ronaldo Zamora. ``Otherwise we will be doing exactly
what those against ransom have been saying right from the beginning. We are just setting
ourselves up for more problems in the future.''
Several senators, including
Senate President Franklin Drilon, urged the government to consider military action against
the rebels.
The U.S. Embassy said the
American government would make no deal with the rebels. ``We will not pay ransom, change
policies, release prisoners, or make any concessions that reward hostage-taking,'' it said
in a statement.
In an interview with the Radio
Mindanao Network, Sabaya said the guerrillas are willing to begin negotiations with U.S.
Embassy officials on Thursday for Schilling's release.
But he demanded that
representatives of North Korea, China, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Libya take part in the
talks.
``I hope this will proceed
smoothly,'' he said Wednesday. ``We are not afraid of a rescue operation by the
Americans.''
Schilling is being held by a
faction of the hard-line Abu Sayyaf group that kidnapped about 50 schoolchildren and
teachers in March. The group beheaded two teachers after the United States ignored their
demand for the release of Arab terrorists held in U.S. jails.
Sabaya said the rebels believe
Schilling is a CIA agent because he introduced himself as a Muslim convert but knew little
about Islam.
U.S. Consul General John
Caulfield called the allegation ``ridiculous.''
``This individual is a
completely innocent person who has been unjustifiably seized,'' he said. ``We want to see
his immediate release and we look to the Philippine government to do everything possible
to secure that.''
Zamora said the government had
been forced to negotiate with the Abu Sayyaf after they abducted 21 people, mostly
foreigners, in April because of pressure from their governments for a nonmilitary
solution. In contrast, he said, the United States has taken a more aggressive approach.
Schilling arrived in the
Philippines March 8 and has been living with his Muslim Filipino girlfriend, Ivi V. Osani,
in Zamboanga.
Osani's mother, Aida Ajijol,
said Osani and Sabaya are second cousins. Sabaya had invited the couple to visit the
rebels' camp on Jolo, she said.
In Oakland, Schilling's mother,
Carol, said her son visited the Philippines because of a longtime interest in the region
but stayed after he fell in love.
``I tried to get him out of the
country three times but he didn't come out,'' she said. ``He was too much in love.''
Police on Wednesday said Abu
Sayyaf rebels have also kidnapped their fourth young woman in less than a month - a
16-year-old girl on her way to school - with the intention of forcing her to marry an Abu
Sayyaf member.
The three other women - a high
school student, a teacher and a midwife - were kidnapped earlier this month for the same
purpose, police said.
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