June 3, 2000, The Philippine Star, Abu Sayyaf demands $1 M for each foreign hostage by Roel Pareño,

June 3, 2000, The Philippine Star, Abu Sayyaf demands $1 M for each foreign hostage by Roel Pareño, Perseus Echeminada, AFP

Abu Sayyaf terrorists holding 21 hostages, mostly foreigners, in the southern island province of Sulu have dropped their political demands and asked instead for P40 million for each captive, a government emissary disclosed yesterday.

"The Abu Sayyaf finally demanded ransom in exchange for the release of the hostages," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The source has been acting as one of the intermediaries in the government negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf gunmen for the release of the hostages who were snatched from the Malaysian diving resort of Sipadan off Borneo last April 23.

"Let's get this problem over with and pay us P40 million for each of the 21 captives," the source quoted the Abu Sayyaf leaders as saying.

He said the Abu Sayyaf asked for money after realizing that its demands for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao and the creation of a fact-finding commission to look into alleged abuses against Filipino workers in Sabah could not be implemented.

Top government negotiator Robert Aventajado refused to confirm the ransom demand, but added that if true, the amount is excessive.

Although the government has repeatedly said it will not entertain any ransom demands, negotiations by relatives of victims in previous Abu Sayyaf kidnappings invariably ended with payment of the so-called "board and lodging" for the captives.

The emissary said the P840-million ransom demand was just the "starting point for the bargaining" with the kidnappers.

Aventajado's team returned to Manila yesterday for another round of consultations with President Estrada and other government officials.

"Negotiations were stalled this week because of the ransom demand. They need to discuss this," the source said.

Aventajado gave assurances, however, that they were doing their best to secure the early release of the hostages.

"In this particular case, the government is harnessing everything in its power to have the release (of the 21 hostages) happen earlier than three months. That's what we are trying to do," Aventajado said.

He said there have been "new developments," but did not elaborate.

"It's positive, we are moving forward," he said.

Reacting sharply to criticisms about the alleged slow pace of the negotiations, Aventajado said it was their detractors who were putting the lives of the hostages in jeopardy.

He added that even if he is replaced as chief government negotiator, there would still be no guarantee that his successor could secure the immediate release of the victims.

Meanwhile, a government medical mission left yesterday for the Abu Sayyaf jungle lair to look into the health condition of the captives.

The medical team, led by Sulu provincial health officer Dr. Nelsa Amin, traveled aboard an ambulance trailed by a convoy of journalists' vehicles.

The group took two boxes of medicines for the hostages, some of whom have reportedly fallen ill, while most showed signs of demoralization.

Amin said a dentist will treat the victims, while a medical technician will check blood samples for malaria.

Amin's team was also bringing letters from families of some of the hostages and a tape-recorded message for one of the two French nationals.

Horst Heydlauf, a German doctor authorized by the government to visit the hostages which included a German family of three, did not join Amin's group.

A special German envoy sent here from Berlin to monitor the hostage situation, said they were trying to assure the safety of Heydlauf.

Amin admitted, however, that it would be difficult to guarantee the safety of any medical mission.

Amin, who had visited the hostages four times previously, said "there is always danger."

"There is no guarantee of our safety. In one of my previous trips, somebody asked for my watch and I gave it to him," she said.

There were reports yesterday that several German journalists have gone missing.

Meanwhile, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel reiterated his proposal to adopt federalism as a permanent solution to the secessionist uprising in Mindanao.

Addressing a youth conference at Subic Freeport in Olongapo City, Pimentel said a federal system of government will provide the Muslims the legal and political structure to preserve their own culture and identity, as well as develop their localities without interference from Manila.

Pimentel, chairman of the Senate committee on local government, said adopting a federal form of government would prevent dismemberment of the country and preserve national integrity.

Pimentel proposed the creation of four federal states in Luzon and three each in the Visayas and Mindanao, with Metro Manila as a special administrative region like Canberra in Australia, Bangkok in Thailand and Washington D.C. in the United States.

The senator admitted, however, that while his proposal was acceptable to Muslim leaders and the technocrats, it nevertheless triggered a controversy because of suspicions that it has a hidden political agenda.