RP troops rejects talks with kidnappers despite threat<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): Philippine troops Wednesday rejected talks with
\nMoro gunmen holding a Chinese and a Filipino to ransom for US$10
\nmillion, mounting a fresh offensive despite a threat to behead
\nthe hostages.<\/p>\n
Security forces clashed with the gang near Columbio town on
\nMindanao island on Tuesday, killing one of the gunmen on the same
\nday their leader warned the military to cease the offensive or
\nthey would decapitate the captives, officials said.<\/p>\n
"We shouldn't be negotiating with these kidnappers," said
\nmilitary chief of staff Gen. Diomedio Villanueva. "We cannot
\nagain place whole communities and the country hostage to the
\nwhims and desires of kidnappers."<\/p>\n
Two Chinese hostages were shot dead while a third was rescued
\non Sunday as the Philippine military mounted a bloody rescue
\nattempt that also left seven of the kidnappers dead.<\/p>\n
The Philippine military chief assured China on Wednesday that
\ngovernment troops were taking precautions to ensure the safety of
\nan abducted Chinese national and a Filipino-Chinese trader in
\nefforts to rescue them.<\/p>\n
Gen. Villanueva said he had instructed soldiers to make sure
\nthat the welfare of the hostages - Zhang Zhong Yi and Edward Lim
\n- is "not unduly compromised" during a rescue operation.<\/p>\n
"I assure everyone that the paramount consideration is the
\nsafety of the hostages," he told reporters.<\/p>\n
Officials say the gunmen are renegade members of the Moro
\nIslamic Liberation Front (MILF), a separatist group holding peace
\ntalks with Manila. The MILF has disowned the kidnappers.<\/p>\n
China has expressed deep concern to the Philippine authorities
\nand demanded an explanation for the killings of Xue Xin and Zhang
\nZhongqiang, subcontractors in a Japan-funded $2.7 billion
\nirrigation project in the area.<\/p>\n
Kidnap leader Abu Hamsa said Tuesday his group "will negotiate
\nwith the families of our hostages if the military will cease
\noperations," but warned the captives would be beheaded if the
\nmilitary mounted another rescue attempt.<\/p>\n
The gunmen are holding Zhang's brother, Zhang Zhongyi, and a
\nFilipino businessman, Edwin Lim.<\/p>\n
Villanueva repeated the government's policy of refusing to pay
\nransoms. The kidnappers have sought $10 million for all five
\ncaptives.<\/p>\n
Regional army spokesman Major Julieto Ando said the hunt for
\nthe kidnappers was continuing despite the threat.<\/p>\n
"We have enough troops to rescue the captives and neutralize
\nthe kidnappers," Ando said.<\/p>\n
Philippine Vice President and Foreign Secretary Teofisto
\nGuingona has ordered an inquiry into the deaths of the two slain
\nhostages.<\/p>\n
Villanueva said that according to military reports the
\nkidnappers opened fire on the hostages even before the gunbattle
\nwith the military broke out.<\/p>\n
The Philippines is also dealing with another hostage crisis
\ninvolving two Americans and 16 Filipinos in the southern island
\nof Basilan.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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