RI not helping search for hostages: RP

RI not helping search for hostages: RP

PHILIPPINES: Indonesian officials are not working with the
Philippine military in the hunt for three Indonesian seamen
kidnapped by suspected Al-Qaeda-linked militants, a top
Philippine army officer said in Jolo on Saturday.

"We have not received any reports from the Indonesian
consulate.... They are not coordinating with us, but this does
not stop us from our operation to safely recover the hostages,"
said Lt. Gen. Alberto Braganza.

The three Indonesians -- Ahmad Resmiyadi, Yamin Labaso and
Erikson Hutagaol -- were seized in March after their boat was
attacked off Malaysia's Sabah region by a group calling itself
the Jamiat al-Islamiah of Southern Mindanao.

They were thought to be held somewhere in the southern
Philippine province of Tawi Tawi, and police and military
officials now believe they were seized by the Abu Sayyaf kidnap
gang.

"We are doing everything to trace their whereabouts. We have
recovered one speedboat of the Abu Sayyaf and several weapons --
that's the latest we have on the operation against the
kidnappers," Braganza said.

Earlier this week, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono asked Philippine President Gloria Arroyo for help in
rescuing the three hostages, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda
said.

Hassan also said the captors had demanded a Rp 7.5 billion
(US$790,000) ransom from the hostages' employer. -- AFP