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September 1, 2000, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Schilling sick; release him, US appeals to Abu,

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Schilling

September 1, 2000, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Schilling sick; release him, US appeals to Abu,

THE UNITED States appealed to Abu Sayyaf kidnappers yesterday to quickly release American hostage Jeffrey Craig Schilling, saying he has serious medical problems and should be freed on humanitarian grounds. "He has long-term health problems which require regular prescription medication," the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement, without elaborating.

Despite official US denials that Schilling is a spy--as the Abu Sayyaf claims the American admitted under interrogation--Press Secretary Ricardo Puno Jr. did not seem so sure. "These matters are being looked into . . . because of the remark that he was an ordinary tourist. That may not be the full story," Puno said in a news briefing, referring to a US official's earlier statement that Schilling was in the country as an innocent tourist.

The US Embassy yesterday added to that remark, saying it had learned that the 24-year-old American was "a Muslim who was in the Philippines to pursue his interest in the region and in Islam." US Embassy spokesperson Thomas Skipper said US government officials had talked with Schilling's family in California and learned the 24-year-old American has serious medical problems.

Skipper said he did not know the nature of Schilling's condition. But "from a humanitarian standpoint, he should be released as soon as possible," he said. Local military sources had earlier said they were informed that Schilling had a "record of a troubled childhood that required psychiatric help."

Mom calls Zamboanga

Shilling's mother, Carol, yesterday called Zamboanga radio station dxRZ from Oakland, and appealed to the gunmen to release her son and give her a chance to talk to him. "I would really very much like him to be released and returned home to me safely," she said. "My son is very important to me." Schilling's mother said her son converted to Islam several years ago and visited the Philippines partly because of a longtime interest in the region, but stayed after he fell in love with Ivy Osani, a native of Basilan. An Abu Sayyaf faction led by Radulan Sajiron and Abu Ahmad Salayuddin, aka Abu Sabaya, announced Tuesday it had abducted Schilling, and threatened to behead him if the United States rejects its demand to release three Muslim fundamentalists from various US prisons. "We do not joke," said Abu Sabaya. "When we say we will behead someone, we will behead him."

Miscarriage?

Abu Sabaya also threatened to kill Schilling's wife Ivy for allegedly being a government agent. Osani's mother yesterday said that her daughter was in the hospital and had suffered a miscarriage, ABS-CBN reported. But quoting Brig. Gen. Alberto Braganza, Agence France Presse reported that Osani was confined to a military hospital under police custody to protect her against organized crime.

"As far as Southern Command is concerned she is not an agent of the government, contrary to claims made by the Abu Sayyaf," said Braganza, the Southcom deputy chief. Police earlier said Osani was hospitalized due to stress from questioning.

Investigating

Osani, a widow whose late husband was allegedly an Abu Sayyaf member, and Sabaya are related--first cousins according to some reports, second according to others, and distant relatives according to other accounts. "The military is also investigating her possible links with the Abu Sayyaf, but as of now we are not making any conclusions," Braganza said.

Osani's mother has decided to allow her daughter to remain indefinitely in the custody of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force for security reasons. "I don't want to risk the life of my daughter that is why I decided to take the advice of Supt. Angelito Casimiro (PAOCTF Mindanao Area II chief) after the Abu Sayyaf threatened to behead her," Aida Ajijul said. "I can get her any time I want when the situation is already safe," she said.

'Misunderstanding'

Schilling arrived in the Philippines on March 8 and has been living with Osani in Zamboanga City, according to police who interrogated Osani earlier this week. Although other reports say the two are only engaged, police on Wednesday said the two were married in Muslim rites on April 5. Sabaya had invited the couple to visit the kidnappers' camp on Jolo, Osani told police Wednesday. She said her husband had previously expressed interest in meeting the leaders of the Abu Sayyaf.

Supt. Karib Muammil, Zamboanga City police chief, said Osani told lawmen during questioning that the couple had gone to Jolo where they were met by Abu Sayyaf members. Muammil said the Abu Sayyaf escorted the couple to their jungle base but that once there, a "misunderstanding" occurred between Sabaya and the American.

The hostage takers then decided to hold Schilling, accusing him of being an agent of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Muammil quoted Osani as saying. According to Sabaya, Schilling is a CIA agent because he introduced himself as a Muslim convert but knew little about Islam. Nur Misuari, governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said he recently received information that Schilling had been interrogated intensively by the Abu Sayyaf and had indeed admitted being a CIA agent.

'Willing' victim?

But National Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre, quoting field reports, said yesterday that the case was apparently a "willing kidnapping." "Schilling willingly went with the Abu Sayyaf leaders when he was accompanied there (to Jolo) from Zamboanga City," Aguirre said, quoting the unidentified field units.

Aguirre said that if Schilling was a willing guest of the Abu Sayyaf, "we will not be (as) interested because there is willingness on his part." He suggested that the trip of the American might have been done "for purposes of propaganda." Puno said the government would launch a deeper probe into Schilling's activities in Zamboanga City.

"Authorities are verifying reports that Schilling had been staying in Zamboanga for six months and as well as the reasons for his being there during that period," Puno said. "It's a point of some interest that he's been there for six months. It's also a point of some interest that the lady with whom he was liaising has a background in so far as the relationships with the Abu Sayyaf is concerned," the press secretary said. "Is this  coincidental?" he asked.

They don't know

For his part, Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr. said the government had not established if Schilling is indeed being held captive. Siazon, who also chairs the Cabinet Cluster E on national security, said officials hoped to confirm Schilling's situation in the next few days. The government has already appointed a "pointman" to contact the Abu Sayyaf to verify the reported kidnapping, Siazon said. He said the government would identify the emissary in the next few days.

"It's not yet clear if he's being held against his will," Siazon said a day after the Cabinet Cluster E meeting. "We have no concrete evidence yet" to conclude that Schilling is being held hostage. The US Embassy, however, on Wednesday confirmed Schilling's kidnapping, saying it had "credible evidence" that the American "is being held hostage by the terrorist Abu Sayyaf on the island of Jolo." Reports from Armand Nocum; Dona Pazzibugan; Jonathan F. Ma and Froilan Gallardo, PDI Mindanao Bureau; Inquirer wires

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