13 RP preachers no longer hostages, says negotiator
13 RP preachers no longer hostages, says negotiator
JOLO, Philippines (AFP): Thirteen Christian preachers held by extremist kidnappers here for almost a month are no longer considered to be hostages, the government's chief negotiator said on Friday.
Roberto Aventajado said he was assured by Abu Sayyaf leader Galib Andang the Jesus Miracle Crusade group were at the guerrilla hideout to help resolve the hostage crisis.
"So for the time being, we will take that as the real situation," said Aventajado, who arrived on the southern island of Jolo early Friday for talks with local military and police officials.
One of the preachers, Danny Cuarteros, appeared in Jolo town on Thursday, and told reporters they were not hostages and were at the camp to fast and to pray for a quick and peaceful resolution to the crisis.
The preachers, led by television evangelist Wilde Almeda, defied authorities and went to the Abu Sayyaf camp on July 1 to pray for the hostages, abducted from the resort of Sipadan in April.
Both the authorities and the Abu Sayyaf had previously said the preachers had become hostages.
Intelligence sources on Friday said Abu Sayyaf rebels had executed two suspected government spies who had entered their jungle hideout claiming to be preachers from Almeda's group.
The duo sought a meeting with the Abu Sayyaf leaders to inquire about the 13 preachers on July 21, but were shot and killed after Almeda's group denied knowing them.
The Abu Sayyaf on Thursday released German journalist Andreas Lorenz, one of six journalists abducted while covering the hostage crisis. Three French journalists and two from a Philippine television station remain with the gunmen.
Following Lorenz's release on Thursday and the Christian preachers no longer being considered Abu Sayyaf captives, the number of hostages held by the guerrillas is 19 -- four Filipinos and 15 foreigners.
The foreigners consist of two Germans, five French nationals including the television crew, three Malaysians, two Finns, two South Africans and a Lebanese woman.
So far the rebels have freed six Malaysians, two Germans including Lorenz, and three Filipinos.
Aventajado said he was hopeful negotiators might obtain the release of the two Filipino journalists in "two to three days."
A government emissary who visited the Filipino journalists said both were "doing well."
She delivered a letter from the two addressed to fellow reporters here requesting items including instant noodles and a change of clothes.
She said the splinter group that abducted the journalists from the ABS-CBN television station this week had turned them over to a senior Abu Sayyaf leader, who in turn has agreed to free them by Saturday.
Aventajado said he had held talks with local military and police commanders to tighten security in Jolo to avoid more abductions, following the kidnapping of the ABS-CBN staff.
In another development, Some 10,000 Philippine militias to be drafted to help battle rebels would answer directly to the military in a bid to prevent abuse, the country's armed forces chief said on Friday.
The militias will be issued serial numbers and be subject to military rules, General Angelo Reyes said.
"They are trained by us and we assume responsibility for their behavior during deployment," Reyes said.
Rights groups as well as well as Muslim civilians in the south have raised concerns over the planned deployment of militias, saying the move would leave communities open to abuse.
Reyes earlier said 7,000 of the militia fighters are to be deployed on the southern island of Mindanao, where the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is waging a 22- year bloody insurgency.
Another 3,000 are to reinforce regular military forces in other areas of the country, he said.