RP rebels release four Malaysians and two Filipinos

RP rebels release four Malaysians and two Filipinos

MANILA (AP): Moro extremists holding several dozen hostages in
a remote Philippine jungle freed two Filipino teachers and four
Malaysians on Friday, in their biggest releases so far.

The four tired but jubilant Malaysians were flown to Manila,
where they were turned over to their country's ambassador.

"I'm so happy, and what I want now is to meet my family as
soon as possible," said Francis Masangkin, one of the four
hostages.

The four -- fatigued, unwashed and carrying their possessions
in rice sacks -- were presented to Malaysian Ambassador Mohamed
Arshad Hussain by chief government negotiator Robert Aventajado.

They were part of a group of 21 mostly foreign hostages
kidnapped April 23 from a diving resort under Malaysia's control
by Abu Sayyaf rebels. Six Malaysians and one German woman from
the group have now been released.

"While there is reason to rejoice today, it is not yet the
time to celebrate," said Ambassador Hussain. "Celebration will
have to wait until all the Sipadan hostages, Malaysian and non-
Malaysian alike, similarly regain their freedom."

Later on Friday, the rebels also released two female teachers
abducted March 20 from a school on nearby Basilan island. A third
person kidnapped on Basilan, the 17-year-old son of a government
soldier killed in a clash with the rebels, was released on
Thursday.

"We are happy because our children will now see us," said
Teresita Academia, one of the teachers.

The rebels had earlier promised to free three other Malaysians
as well, but refused to turn them over to envoys sent by
negotiators to an Abu Sayyaf hide-out on Jolo island at the
southern tip of the Philippines.

The breaking of the agreement apparently resulted from
disagreements among the rebel leaders over how to divide up the
ransom, negotiators said. The remaining three Malaysians are
reportedly now being held by a different Abu Sayyaf commander.

The Abu Sayyaf consists of several hundred heavily armed
rebels divided into several bands led by at least five separate
commanders. The group has been accused of banditry, kidnappings
and numerous attacks on Christians in the past.

The Abu Sayyaf has also kidnapped 13 Filipino Christian
evangelists and three French TV journalists. A separate armed
group on Jolo is believed to be holding a German reporter for Der
Speigel magazine.

On Monday, the rebels released their first European captive,
an ailing German woman.

The series of releases in the past week has raised hopes for
an early resolution of the hostage crisis, but reports of
disputes among the Abu Sayyaf leaders have tempered that
optimism.

Tensions also erupted on Thursday within the government
negotiating team, with Aventajado accusing Lee Peng Wee, a former
presidential adviser with business interests in Malaysia, of
violating instructions and endangering the talks. He also ordered
a check of the immigration records of several Malaysians who are
helping Wee negotiate.

The presidential palace welcomed the releases.

"We are hopeful in the next few days we may have a
breakthrough," presidential Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora
said.

Aventajado said he expects the remaining female Sipadan
hostages will be released ahead of the men, but it is still
unclear whether they will be freed together or one-by-one.

The seven Malaysians were originally scheduled to be freed
Monday, but a last-minute demand by the rebels for a larger
ransom delayed the release.

After further talks, the negotiators agreed to raise the
ransom an unspecified amount from the three million pesos
($67,500) per person originally agreed upon, they said.

The rebels are demanding $1 million for the release of each
European hostage, negotiators say. The Philippine government has
an official no-ransom policy, but negotiators have confirmed that
ransoms were paid for the two Malaysian hostages who were earlier
released.

The Malaysian government has also promised to provide
development assistance through the Philippine government for
Jolo.

The remaining hostages consist of six French, three Germans,
two Finns, two South Africans, 15 Filipinos and three Malaysians.
Negotiators say Ghalib Andang, the Abu Sayyaf commander holding
most of the hostages, is no longer demanding an independent
nation be created in the southern Philippines for the country's
Muslim minority. But other rebel commanders reportedly still want
an Islamic state.