RP kidnappers raise ransom demand: Sources

RP kidnappers raise ransom demand: Sources

JOLO, Philippines (Agencies): Moro extremist kidnappers on
Tuesday raised their ransom demand for a group of Malaysians
among 38 hostages they are holding in the southern Philippines, a
day after releasing an ailing German woman captive, sources said.

The expected release of the seven remaining Malaysian hostages
was reportedly put off on Tuesday due to the new demand by the
Abu Sayyaf gunmen, the sources close to the negotiations said.

The gunmen freed ailing 56-year-old German hostage Renate
Wallert on Monday, raising hopes that the other captives would
also be released.

Relatives of the Malaysian captives flew in here from nearby
Sabah state on Tuesday amid expectations that their kin would be
the next to be freed. But they left empty handed aboard their
chartered turboprop for nearby southern Philippine city of
Zamboanga.

"There will be no developments tonight," said one source close
to the negotiations, who asked not to be named.

The sources said the Malaysians, seized by the Abu Sayyaf with
two Filipinos and 10 foreign tourists from an island resort near
Malaysia on April 23, were to have been freed with Wallert on
Monday night.

But it was called off at the last minute with the gunmen
seeking an additional 70 million pesos (US$1.6 million).

Meanwhile, the Philippines' chief negotiator who won Wallert's
release from the rebel captivity said on Tuesday talks were under
way for the speedy release of other women still held by the
guerrillas.

Presidential adviser Roberto Aventajado insisted no ransom was
paid for Wallert's release but said he had agreed to consider a
request to help the rebels start an orange plantation in their
camp on southern Jolo island.

Aventajado told reporters rebel chief Galib Andang had told an
emissary that the guerrillas, having freed Wallert, now wanted to
talk about the other women captives out of a group of 21 mostly
foreign hostages seized from the island resort.

They include Frenchwoman Sonia Wendling, South African Monique
Strydom, the Lebanese Marie Moarbes and a Filipino woman,
Lucrecia Dablo, Aventajado said.

"Pretty soon," he said when asked when the next release of
hostages would take place.

In recent weeks, the Abu Sayyaf has abducted 17 other people,
including a German reporter, a three-member French television
crew and 13 Filipino evangelists.

Three Filipinos have been held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf since
March, bringing to 38 the total number of still in captivity.

The Abu Sayyaf is one of two groups fighting for an Islamic
state in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines.
Manila has rejected the Abu Sayyaf's call for an independent
Muslim homeland but Aventajado said a request by Andang for help
in starting an orange plantation was "do-able."

"Commander Robot has land he wants to develop and I told
him ...we can look at it. He said it's about 100 hectares (250
acres)," Aventajado said.

Despite official denials, a senior police intelligence
official said about 40 million pesos ($890,000) was paid for
Wallert's freedom.

The source, asking not to be identified, said the money was
deposited in a Philippine bank account under the name of an in-
law of Andang.