December 13, 2002, Philippine Star, Talks for Sayyaf leader's surrender bog down anew, R. Pareño,

December 13, 2002, Philippine Star, Talks for Sayyaf leader's surrender bog down anew, R. Pareño,

LANTAWAN, Basilan – For the third time, negotiations for the surrender of a top Abu Sayyaf leader, who carries a $1-million prize on his head, have bogged down. 

This, as Hamsiraji Sali, one of Abu Sayyaf leaders indicted in the US Federal Court for the killing of Americans Jeffrey Schilling and Guillermo Soberano [FUCK YOU PARENO!] and kidnapping of couple Martin and Gracia Burnham, wanted amnesty which a government source described as simply "unattainable." 

The source said Sali, also known as Commander Jose Ramirez, demanded amnesty in exchange for turning state witness against his peers. 

Negotiations for Sali’s surrender took place last August and November. In a third attempt, a top government official, the source said, talked with Sali in Upper Kapayawan in Isabela City, the provincial capital, last Tuesday. 

Although confirming such negotiations, Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya, chief of the Armed Forces' Southern Command, said the military would not negotiate with terrorists. 

"We are convinced that (Sali) is trying to put one over the negotiators. He is acting without good faith," he told reporters. 

The US government has offered a $1-million reward for the capture of Sali and three other top leaders of the Abu Sayyaf, linked to the al-Qaeda international terror network of Osama bin Laden. 

The three others are Khadaffy Janjalani, Isnilon Hapilon and Abu Solaiman. A fifth Abu Sayyaf leader, Aldam Tilao, alias Abu Sabaya, was believed killed in an encounter with Navy Seals off Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte last June 21. 

All five Abu Sayyaf leaders were indicted in US Federal Court last July 23. The US government this week similarly charged six other members of the extremist group. 

Whether Sali surrenders or not, Abaya said military maneuvers against the Abu Sayyaf would continue. "With the series of arrests, the Abu Sayyaf menace would be erased on the face of Basilan," he said. 

Last Wednesday, Col. Alexander Aleo, Army commander in Sulu, said a US-trained Light Reaction Company (LRC), backed by Scout Rangers, clashed with an Abu Sayyaf unit led by Abader Parad, at Mt. Tumatangis in Maimbung town. 

An LRC member was wounded in the seven-hour firefight, but he was declared out of danger, Aleo said. 

Parad's group, the military said, was involved in the abduction of mostly foreign tourists in the Malaysian resort island of Sipadan two years ago. 

Aleo said soldiers found no evidence that Parad's group was holding the seven remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf — three Indonesian sailors and four women members of the Christian sect Jehovah's Witness.