June 17, 2001, The Philippine Star, 2 Abu hostages freed, by Roel Pareño,

June 17, 2001, The Philippine Star, 2 Abu hostages freed, by Roel Pareño,

 

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Abu Sayyaf bandits released yesterday two of the hostages they kidnapped from a Palawan resort three weeks ago amid suspicions that ransom was paid for their release.

 

A ranking official of the Armed Forces Southern Command (Southcom) based here said the Abu Sayyaf released Kimberly Jao, 12, and Francis Ganzon, 50, to Muslim cleric Ustadz Mohaimin Latip in the jungles of Basilan. Latip himself was held for a week when he presented himself as a freelance negotiator.

 

The military official said the bandits entrusted the two hostages to Latip after they ascertained that the cleric "is not a man of Basilan Gov. Wahab Akbar."

 

"The bandits found out that Latip did not tell lies when he went to the camp to personally negotiate for the victims," the official said, noting that the cleric was allegedly the Arabic teacher of one of the bandit leaders.

 

Latip was mistaken to be one of the two headless corpses found in Basilan earlier in the week, but the bandits allowed him to call a radio station to confirm he was still alive.

 

The three showed up in Tipo-Tipo town in Basilan yesterday morning and were secretly airlifted by military helicopter to the Edwin Andrews Air Force Base here where they underwent a medical check-up at the Southcom hospital.

 

The official said the two hostages looked haggard and appeared to have lost much weight after 20 days in captivity.

 

"I'm happy I'll be seeing my family again. It was a near-death experience. Nightmarish. This has to end," Ganzon told The Associated Press.

 

He said he had seen two of the three American hostages, Kansas missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham, three days earlier but not since then because the hostages had been split up.

 

Ganzon had no word on Guillermo Sobero of Corona, California who the Abu Sayyaf claimed to have beheaded on Tuesday.

 

While Latip remained in Basilan, the two hostages boarded a Lear jet that flew them to Villamor Air Base in Manila before they were welcomed by President Arroyo at Malacañang.

 

However, neither Ganzon nor Jao appeared to have come directly from the jungle, although Jao was wearing a checkered Muslim headdress as she carried two bags aboard the Lear jet.

 

Upon their arrival in Manila, Jao appeared to be holding back tears as she got off the plane and embraced two male relatives. Ganzon smiled broadly and waved to waiting journalists.

 

Jao's mother Letty and Ganzon's wife Teresa were among the hostages who supposedly escaped while the military were laying siege on a hospital in Lamitan town where the bandits holed up.

 

But military sources said the bandit raid on Lamitan was actually a farce, allegedly to allow representatives of construction magnate Reghis Romero to pay ransom to the bandits.

 

Romero, along with his companion Ma. Riza Rodriguez and eight-year-old RJ Recio, later "escaped" from the hospital along with six others who were allegedly allowed to leave so that they could arrange for ransom payments.

 

The release of Jao and Ganzon bolstered suspicions that their families paid the bandits several million pesos in ransom earlier this week.

 

No talk of ransom

 

The Palace, however, officially expressed elation that the hostages are now back with their families.

 

"We are happy that their horrible ordeal has finally ended. We are very happy for that... for whatever reason they were rescued," said Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao.

 

The lives of a young girl, a father and a Muslim religious leader have been saved and they have finally left the hell the Abu Sayyaf had cruelly thrown them into," Tiglao said.

 

While Tiglao did not officially deny the alleged ransom payments, neither did he confirm the rumors and instead urged media not to fuel speculations.

 

"That's a rumor," Tiglao said of the reported ransom payments. "I don't think anyone should quote amounts you can't verify."

 

National Security Adviser Roilo Golez also did not confirm or deny the reported ransom payments.

 

"There have been rumors (of ransom payments) but we have no official confirmation of that. The official policy of the government is we don't pay any ransom. We don't want to talk about that," Golez said.

 

Golez also warned the families of the other victims who are still being held captive by the Abu Sayyaf. He said certain groups are going around passing themselves off as Abu Sayyaf representatives.

 

"But it turns out they were just taking advantage of the families of the hostages. It would be better if they do not listen to these kinds of people because they will only compound their problems," Golez said.

 

As far as the government is concerned, Golez said, the police and military forces will step up their "pressure" against the bandits in the entire Basilan island to save the remaining hostages.

 

Some 5,000 troops, divided into Task Forces Thunder, Lightning and Tornado, are already scouring the island for the bandits and their hostages.

 

"The military, backed by a strong civilian support, is now engaged in a sweeping operation in the entire island province of Basilan to finally put an end to the atrocities committed by the Abu Sayyaf bandits," Golez said.

 

Robot surrender still hanging

 

"We will not let surrender feelers ease the pressure on the Abu Sayyaf. Military operations will continue until the last minute," Golez said, referring to the surrender feelers of bandit leader Ghalib Andang, alias Commander Robot.

 

Outgoing Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson was reported on Friday to be working on the surrender of Andang, who leads the separate Abu Sayyaf faction that seized 21 resort guests and workers from Sipadan island in Malaysia last year.

 

Golez, however, refused to divulge details of Andang's supposed surrender.

 

"It's better if we do not talk about it because we really want it to take place. It would be better if we just keep quiet for now," Golez said.

 

Golez said Singson had actually been talking with and getting instructions from President Arroyo on the surrender of Andang and some 17 of his lieutenants.

 

But Palace officials are hopeful that Singson would be able to pull off the surrender, considering that Andang had also sent feelers to the Estrada administration but without results.

 

Tiglao said talks about Andang's surrender were already being discussed since last week but Singson only made the announcement on Friday.

 

This indicates, Tiglao said, that Singson is more confident of pulling off the surrender since he had already announced the plan.

 

Tiglao told The STAR the government does not wholly believe Andang’s supposed desire to surrender but is taking the surrender feelers seriously just to resolve the bandit problem in Mindanao.

 

GMA to visit Basilan?

 

Meanwhile, Golez confirmed reports that Mrs. Arroyo may go to Mindanao this week but refused to reveal exactly where the President would be heading.

 

"All the people who will meet with her are already known although up to now the itinerary is not yet final because she will go to other places," Golez said without elaboration.

 

Palace sources, however, told The STAR the President may even visit Lamitan town to check on the restoration and rehabilitation undertaken by the Armed Forces engineering brigade.

 

The town was heavily damaged by heavy fighting two weeks ago between government forces and the bandits who holed themselves up in the town hospital allegedly to collect ransom payments.

 

At the same time, Golez said the recent creation of the Basilan Crisis Management Committee chaired by Akbar is now being supported by the civilian population who have begun helping government forces.

 

"Our informers are now very active especially after we have activated our civilian component. Even at the barangay level, they have become more bold in tipping us off on the movements of the Abu Sayyaf," Golez said. – With reports from Jaime Laude, Teddy Molina, Sandy Araneta, Perseus Echeminada