August 4, 2000, The Philippine Star, Sayyaf to free 3 Malaysians, 2 Pinoys in package deal,

August 4, 2000, The Philippine Star, Sayyaf to free 3 Malaysians, 2 Pinoys in package deal, 

The Abu Sayyaf offered yesterday to free three Malaysians and two Filipino hostages in a package deal, sources close to negotiations said.

Abu Sayyaf leader Galib Andang also warned that the three Malaysians and two Filipinos may only be freed as a group, and that if the Philippine government rejects his offer "then we could give them two Malaysian hostages and we will hold the other Malaysian captive."

This developed as Philippine National Police chief Director General Panfilo Lacson reinstated Superintendent Candido Casimiro as Sulu provincial police director, one week after the lawman was sacked amid a spate of bombings and abductions by Muslim extremists.

Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan said Casimiro was powerless to stop the violence.

The police could not attack the kidnappers or impose a security cordon around the rebels' lairs because of government's wish not to endanger the lives of the hostages, Tan said.

At the same time, Tan laughed off claims by anABS-CBN executive that some local politicians in Sulu are behind some of the kidnappings because of disagreements over alleged ransom payments.

He said local officials in Sulu strongly support the "no-ransom policy" because provincial officials will be the ones to contend with a stronger and well-financed Abu Sayyaf when the hostage crisis ends if ransom money is paid.

Andang added: "So if they want to resolve this problem early they should take the two Filipinos along with the three Malaysian hostages."

The unusual demand was contained in a letter conveyed by government emissaries who have been visiting the kidnappers' jungle hideouts, where they also hold 12 Western hostages.

The five Asians, along with two French, a Franco-Lebanese, two Germans, two Finns and two South Africans, are now in their 103rd day of captivity.

They were seized from the Malaysian resort of Sipadan on April 23 and brought to Jolo by boat, along with six Malaysians and a German who have since been freed.

The Abu Sayyaf also holds at gunpoint three French journalists who were taken captive while covering the Jolo crisis. The gunmen have also freed a German reporter and two Filipino journalists.

Sources close to the negotiations said the gunmen want ransoms of P15 million for each of the remaining Malaysians, and token payments of P15,000 each for the Filipinos.

They said the Abu Sayyaf were already paid about $6 million for the freed Sipadan hostages, though no government has admitted to paying the Abu Sayyaf to free their citizens.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes said the military is alarmed over reports that the Abu Sayyaf had already amassed P176 million and is now in the process of buying arms from abroad.

Although the military is still verifying the figure revealed by Basilan Rep. Gerry Salapuddin, Reyes nevertheless ordered the Navy to intensify its patrols and block the possible arms shipment.

"The report should be a source of alarm. The money could be used to purchase firearms and equipment. This, in turn, will become a long-term problem that we will have to face," Reyes said.

Meanwhile, sources said the Abu Sayyaf is negotiating a P130-million ransom for a group of Filipino Christian preachers who were detained after they visited the Abu Sayyaf camp to "pray over" the hostages on July 1.

After one of the 13 walked free late last month, the government insisted that the rest are no longer considered hostages.

But the sources said the Jesus Miracle Crusade is negotiating directly with the kidnappers, bypassing the government negotiators, for the release of the remaining 12, who include their leader the television evangelist Wilde Almeda.

Sources said the Abu Sayyaf this week paid a number of hired gunmen who either took part in the Sipadan abductions or helped guard the captives held in two jungle hideouts near the Jolo towns of Talipao and Maimbung.

The raiders received P100,000 each, while each guard was paid P40,000, they said.

Sources close to the negotiations said the Western and Asian hostages have since been put together in one Abu Sayyaf camp.

Police sources said several hundred gunmen had helped the Abu Sayyaf, which maintains a small core of fighters dispersed over several areas in Jolo.

The same sources have said the ransom payments are driving up the black market price of guns in Jolo and nearby areas as the Abu Sayyaf prepares for a government crackdown, expected once the hostage crisis is resolved.

In a related development, a splinter group of the Abu Sayyaf is demanding P1.5 million for the freedom of three construction workers who were abducted on Wednesday.

The ransom demand was relayed in a letter to Hajirul Mandangan, owner of a construction supply company in Jolo.

Construction workers Samuel Ranillano, 40, Renante dela Cruz, 20, and a man identified only as Iking, 51, were abducted at gunpoint while hauling sand from the coastal village of Kaunayan in Patikul, Sulu.

The three were then brought to Barangay Pansul in Patikul town for "safekeeping," police said.

Brig. Gen. Narciso Abaya, commander of the Army's 1st Infantry Division, said the gunmen were the same group that abducted ABS-CBNcameraman Percival Cuenca and his wife researcher Maan Macapagal.-- John Unson, Mike Frialde, AFP