New snags hit Philippine hostage release

New snags hit Philippine hostage release

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP): Several new problems, including a
shortage of ransom money, may prevent the release Friday of all
six Europeans still being held hostage by extremist rebels in the
southern Philippines, an official said on Thursday.

The Abu Sayyaf rebels had pledged to release all six on
Friday. But Libyan officials who arrived this week brought only
enough money to pay for the release of four of the hostages, or
about $4 million, an official close to the negotiating team said.

Libya has played a prominent role in negotiations for a group
of 21 people kidnapped April 23 from Sipadan diving resort under
control of Malaysia. Last week it paid $6 million for the release
of six other Westerners from the group, negotiators said. Libya
insists the money will go for development projects, not directly
to the rebels.

But it has resisted paying for two of the remaining hostages,
both French television journalists seized while covering the
hostage crisis, saying their company should foot the bill.

Other developments could also interfere with the planned
release, the official said.

Rebel leader Ghalib "Robot" Andang had a severe quarrel with
one of his four wives Thursday, and the brother of another rebel
leader, Mujib Susukan, was killed Wednesday in a motorcycle
accident, he said.

The negotiators had expected a telephone call from Andang on
Thursday confirming Friday's release, but as of early evening no
call had come, he said.

The rebels are still holding two Finns, a French and a German
from Sipadan and the two French journalists in a camp on Jolo
island in the southern Philippines. A separate rebel faction is
holding an American man kidnapped early last week.

The prolonged hostage crisis has focused international
attention on the Muslim separatist rebellion in the Philippines'
impoverished southern region of Mindanao. It has also embarrassed
the government and frightened tourists and investors away from
Mindanao, which already faces a separatist insurrection waged by
a larger Muslim group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Negotiators said they would still travel Friday to Jolo in
hopes the European hostages would be released.

Ambassadors from the hostages' countries were scheduled to fly
Friday morning to the southern port city of Zamboanga to receive
the captives from Philippine and Libyan negotiators.

Government efforts to free the European hostages resumed this
week after the return Tuesday of Libyan envoy Rajab Azzarouq.

Chief government negotiator Robert Aventajado said government
emissaries also are working to win the release of 12 Filipino
Christian evangelists who were captured by the Abu Sayyaf in
early July and a Filipino hostage from Sipadan who was separated
from the Europeans and taken to the camp of another rebel
faction.

The rebels have not announced their demands for Schilling's
release, although rebel spokesman Abu Sabaya has privately
demanded $10 million, negotiators said.

Schilling, 24, from Oakland, California, was seized Aug. 28
when he visited an Abu Sayyaf camp with his Filipino Muslim wife,
Ivi Osani.

News reports have said the rebels abducted Schilling, who
converted to Islam in 1994, during an argument over religious and
political issues.

A government emissary who visited the camp said Schilling has
ended a hunger strike but is under heavy guard.
"He's not undergoing rough treatment. He's OK," said presidential
Press Secretary Ricardo Puno.

Sulu Vice Governor Munib Estino, appointed by the government
to negotiate for Schilling, expressed confidence he could free
him in a few days and denied news reports that Schilling was
being held in a pig pen-like cage.

Philippine officials have questioned whether the case is a
simple kidnapping since Osani is Sabaya's second cousin and the
widow of a rebel killed by government forces several years ago.