June 18, 2000, The Philippine Star, Sayyaf demands P200 M for five female hostages,

June 18, 2000, The Philippine Star, Sayyaf demands P200 M for five female hostages,

Abu Sayyaf terrorists have demanded P200 million for the release of five females among 21 mostly foreign hostages being held for nearly two months now in the jungles of Jolo, Sulu. Meanwhile, chief government negotiator Robert Aventajado may now go back to Sulu after the Abu Sayyaf rebels announced he was acceptable anew to them. 

This developed as a 15-member delegation of former Moro National Li- beration Front (MNLF) guerrillas who have since immigrated to Malaysia have reportedly returned to Sulu to help secure the release of the 21 hostages. 

The P200-million ransom demand was relayed to an emissary of the government team engaged in back-door talks with the kidnappers while members of the official panel were in Manila for a four-day cooling-off period. "They are now demanding P200 million as a package for the five female hostages," the source told Agence France Presse in Jolo. 

The five women are from the Philippines, France, South Africa and Lebanon. "Bargaining is now going on through the back door," the source said. German housewife Renate Wallert, 57, was reportedly very ill and needed immediate hospitalization. 

Aventajado denied, however, reports that the go-vernment was offering P200 million for the release of five female hostages. "That's not true. We stick to our no-ransom policy." Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora belied the report on the back-door negotiations, saying Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Amir Albar himself has given assurances that Kuala Lumpur fully supports Manila's efforts to peacefully resolve the hostage crisis. 

The source also said that during the first and only formal meeting between the government and the Abu Sayyaf, the kidnappers asked for P100 million for Wallert's release. Intelligence reports said the group arrived in Talipao last Wednesday aboard a Malaysian pumpboat from Jampiras island off Sabah. A source said the former MNLF fighters, led by a certain Melham, were commissioned by the Malaysian government to negotiate with the kidnappers and offer $300,000 for each of the nine Malaysian hostages. 

A local police official confirmed the backdoor talks by the delegation from Malaysia. The source also said a government emissary had visited the Abu Sayyaf hideout in Talipao where the 11 Asian hostages were being kept. The Abu Sayyaf gunmen reportedly handed the emissary six letters from the captives. 

Some of the hostages, in their letters, requested for food, medicine and other provisions. One letter was addressed to President Estrada, urging the government to speed up the negotiations for their freedom, and warning against any military rescue. 

Government negotiators reportedly insisted that they be allowed to visit first the Caucasian captives before the talks could resume. "If they (Abu Sayyaf) want serious negotiations, they should show the white people (first)," the negotiator said. 

Zamora said the government has decided to ban journalists from covering the actual negotiations. "We don't want the media to lose this coverage, but only after the end of the negotiations," Zamora said. 

Aventajado still acceptable to Abu Sayyaf 

The Abu Sayyaf gunmen holding 21 mostly foreign hostages reconsidered yesterday their demand for Aventajado's ouster as chief government negotiator, and agreed to talk with him anew on the fate of the captives being held for nearly two months now in the jungles of Talipao, Sulu. 

Press Secretary Ricardo Puno hailed the Abu Sayyaf decision, saying it puts the negotiations back on track. The Abu Sayyaf leaders, who said earlier they would no longer deal with Aventajado, accepted his clarification that "I would be the last person to favor military operations" to rescue the hostages. 

The Abu Sayyaf's acceptance of Aventajado's explanation was contained in a statement delivered by an emissary to Aventajado's office in Manila. The statement was signed by two of the kidnappers' five leaders, Mujib Susukan and Ghalib Andang, alias Commander Robot. They said Aventajado "may continue with his role as (government) chief negotiator." 

"We view this as a welcome development and we hope that this would pave the way for the resumption of serious negotiations focusing on the urgent matter at hand, which is the speedy release of all the hostages," Puno said. An aide of Aventajado said hopes for the hostages' eventual release brightened following the kidnappers' change of heart. 

"With this statement from the Abu Sayyaf, everything will be set next week for the resumption of the talks," the aide said. The Abu Sayyaf leaders were irked last week by Aventajado's statement saying a military option to end the hostage crisis remained a possibility. 

The extremist group called for Aventajado's replacement in the talks by Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora. The hostages, consisting of nine Malaysians, three Germans, two South Africans, two French nationals, two Finns, two Filipinos and a Lebanese, were seized last April 23 from the popular Malaysian resort of Sipadan in Sabah and taken by boat across the sea border to nearby Sulu.

The kidnappers have since taken the 10 Caucasians deeper into the jungles of Panamao town, leaving behind the nine Malaysians and two Filipinos at their lair in hinterland Tiis Kutung in Talipao. Authorities said the move was apparently meant to foil any attempts by the military to launch rescue operations for the captives. 

Aventajado said they are now preparing for their next move. The Estrada administration has been under severe international pressure to secure the freedom of the hostages, many of whom have showed serious signs of psychological deterioration, with some contemplating suicide to end their ordeal. 

In a related development, Camp Aguinaldo denied reports that an arms shipment worth P7.6 million has reached the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu. "The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) denies the veracity of media reports stating that the arms intended for the Abu Sayyaf group were shipped into the country from Vietnam," said Col. Jaime Canatoy, AFP civil relations chief. 

AFP intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Virgilio Tutanes also said no report on the alleged arms landing for the Abu Sayyaf has ever reached his office. The shipment, consisting of mortars, recoilless rifles and semi-automatic shotguns, was smuggled into the country through Davao City and eventually transported to Basilan and Sulu by speedboats.--Marichu Villanueva, Roel Pareño, Sandy Araneta, wire services