October 22, 2001, The Philippine Star, 16 Abu Sayyaf rebels killed,

October 22, 2001, The Philippine Star, 16 Abu Sayyaf rebels killed,

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Fighting between the Abu Sayyaf and the Army flared up on the islands of Sulu and Basilan yesterday, with as many as 16 rebels likely dead, the military said.

This developed as Malancañang rejected yesterday an offer by Abu Sayyaf chief Khaddafy Janjalani that they would free American Martin Burnham or his wife Gracia in exchange for the release of his jailed elder brother Hector Janjalani.

"We cannot do that. It's a form of ransom payment. Prisoner exchange is a form of ransom payment and our policy is not to pay any ransom, even in kind," said Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao.

A rescued Abu Sayyaf hostage, Joel Guillo, said Khaddafy Janjalani was considering the swap.

Hector Janjalani was captured in Manila early this year. He is detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, awaiting trial on charges of kidnapping, serious illegal detention and illegal possession of firearms.

He was arrested in possession of drugs while strolling around a Manila mall 

Besides the Burnham couple, the Abu Sayyaf is still holding eight other Filipino hostages.

Twenty-six US military advisers arrived Friday to coordinate with the Philippine military in fighting "not only the Abu Sayyaf but (other) terrorists" as well, Tiglao said.

"If their (US military advisers') consultancy would be helpful, we would incorporate their views on how to rescue the hostages," he said.

Col. Roland Detabali, assistant chief of operations of the Armed Forces' Southern Command, said troops on Basilan had begun to exchange fire with guerrillas from the Abu Sayyaf, a group linked to Osama bin Laden, at midday yesterday after five days of relative calm.

"(Southern Command chief) Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu ordered us to maintain contact (with the rebels) and intensify the operations" on Basilan, Detabali said, adding casualties there were not immediately known.

Earlier in the week, the Abu Sayyaf had taken advantage of darkness and thick vegetation to scatter with their hostages following gunbattles with the Army, Cimatu told reporters.

The Abu Sayyaf has held the hostages for almost five months in the jungles of Basilan and has frustrated constant military pursuit and attempts at a rescue. A separate gang of Abu Sayyaf operates on Jolo.

Concern for the safety of the group-s hostages -- eight Filipinos and two Americans -- was limiting the Army-s use of helicopter gunships, Cimatu said.

Detabali said troops on combat patrol on the nearby island of Jolo encountered yesterday morning a group of 100 to 150 rebels, also from the Abu Sayyaf. The Army killed 16 rebels and recovered some firearms while nine of its soldiers were wounded, he added.

The rebels profess to fight for an independent Muslim homeland in the largely Catholic country’s south but pursue kidnapping for ransom as their main activity.

Earlier in the week, the government said troops had killed at least 40 and perhaps dozens more of the guerrillas on Basilan since the beginning of the month and appeared to have the Abu Sayyaf on the run.-- Reuters, Roel Pareño, Jaime Laude and Paolo Romero