RP hostage crisis enters 4th month, no end in sight<\/p>\n
By Mynardo Macaraig<\/p>\n
JOLO, Philippines (AFP): The Philippine hostage crisis entered
\nits fourth month Monday, with Abu Sayyaf Muslim rebels still
\nholding several dozen hostages in their jungle lair on the
\nsouthern island of Jolo.<\/p>\n
Informed sources said they did not see any immediate
\nresolution to the crisis, which together with a Muslim separatist
\ncampaign in the larger island of Mindanao in the southern
\nPhilippines, has eroded investor confidence and raised security
\nconcerns.<\/p>\n
\"Even if they release the hostages, it is going to be on a
\none-by-one basis, or in very small batches,\" said a source
\nclosely monitoring the movements of the gunmen. \"Now they know
\nthat as long as they have the hostages, they will not be
\ntouched.\"<\/p>\n
Security sources said the Abu Sayyaf had reportedly
\naccumulated enough ransom money -- estimated to be about US$4
\nmillion following the release of l0 of the 41 hostages so far --
\nfor an arms and food stock to keep them going for a long period.<\/p>\n
They could now also negotiate from a position of strength, the
\nsources said.<\/p>\n
Emissaries who visited the Abu Sayyaf hideout last week saw
\nample food supplies, even though a humanitarian corridor set up
\nmore than a month ago was shut to pressure the rebels to
\nnegotiate for the release of the captives.<\/p>\n
At the weekend sources close to the arms markets on Jolo
\nisland said the gunmen were driving up the prices of weapons with
\nthe ransom paid to redeem six Malaysian, a German and three
\nFilipino hostages.<\/p>\n
The price of M-16 rifles, standard issue for the Philippine
\nmilitary, has nearly doubled to 45 thousand pesos ($1,011) in
\nJolo, from 28 thousand pesos before the crisis.<\/p>\n
The Abu Sayyaf rebels were to have released all seven
\nMalaysian hostages in one go last week, but changed their minds
\nand freed only four after learning that the parent of one of the
\nremaining three -- a pilot -- was so anxious for his son's
\nrelease that he had flown a plane to Jolo to wait.<\/p>\n
The ransom for the remaining three Malaysians has now
\nreportedly been raised.<\/p>\n
The rebels are asking for an additional 15 to 20 million pesos
\n($340,900-$454,500) for each of the trio, the sources said, on
\ntop of an alleged $3 million payment for the release of all the
\nMalaysian hostages.<\/p>\n
Speculation was rife at the weekend that the three Malaysians
\nwould be freed Monday but emissaries reported no major progress
\nso far.<\/p>\n
The 31 hostages still in the hands of the rebels comprise 15
\nFilipinos, five French nationals, three Germans, three
\nMalaysians, two Finns, two South Africans and a Lebanese.<\/p>\n
The hostage crisis began with the capture of 21 people, mostly
\nforeigners, from the Sipadan resort off Malaysia's Sabah state on
\nEaster Sunday on April 23. The gunmen later took captive a group
\nof Filipino Christian preachers who went to pray for the hostages
\nas well as journalists from France and Germany covering the
\ndrama.<\/p>\n
Security sources said that with no Western journalists in Jolo
\nat present, the Abu Sayyaf could even target local media
\npersonnel as potential prey.<\/p>\n
They said several ethnic Chinese businessmen in Tawi-Tawi
\nisland in the southernmost tip of the Philippines were also on
\nthe gunmen's target list and police had alerted them to take
\nextra precautions.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-hostage-crisis-enters-4th-month-no-end-in-sight-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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