Hostage in Philippines

[sj5 4]

Philippine rebels set time for hostage beheading

Photo: AFP MANILA (AFP) - Islamic militants holding three Red Cross workers say they will behead one hostage Tuesday afternoon if the Philippine military does not cede control of an entire island, a government official said. Abu Sayyaf rebels told negotiators a tactical retreat from parts of Jolo island in the south would not be enough to save the lives of the three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) captives. The militants seized ICRC staff Mary Jean Lacaba of the Philippines, Andreas Notter of Switzerland and Eugenio Vagni of Italy in mid-January while they were on a humanitarian mission. Pope Benedict XVI later Monday urged the militants to free the workers, the Vatican said in a communique. The pontiff "wants to raise his voice and urge that humanitarian sensibility and reason prevail over violence and intimidation," the statement said. "The Holy Father... asks for their release and calls on the authorities to favour a peaceful outcome to the tragic situation," the communique said. The rebels' new demand was relayed late Sunday, just hours after the military and police pulled back from a jungle area where they had cornered some 120 militants and their three hostages, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said. The pull-back left the rebels in control of five towns and 140 square kilometres (54 square miles) of the island, the government said. But, said Puno, Abu Sayyaf's council of leaders now wants all security forces to abandon existing bases, leaving the province's half a million residents "completely unprotected" from the rebels. "They demanded new repositionings," Puno said, adding that the military camps have been in Jolo for decades. He said the rebels had set a 2.00 pm (0600 GMT) deadline on Tuesday for the government to comply, or they would behead one hostage. Puno said the Abu Sayyaf wants troops restricted in "one small corner" of the island, where they will be highly vulnerable and unable to protect civilians. "Frankly, we are very disheartened by these new demands that clearly are impossible to meet," Puno told reporters. "We would like to appeal to the (gunmen) to be reasonable." Puno conceded that it appeared that Abu Sayyaf was in control of the situation by toying with their fears. While the government was prepared to be "humiliated" to keep the hostages safe, Puno said if the Abu Sayyaf harms hostages that would trigger heavy reprisals. "We just happen to believe that they're serious and we don't want the hostages to be harmed, but if they harm one hostage, then the situation will obviously change," he said. Jolo governor and head of a crisis committee, Abdusakur Tan, earlier Monday said they were no longer prepared to give any other concessions. "We have done everything we could. I don't know whether we could still give any other concessions, short of giving them the entire island," Tan said. Later in the day, Tan said he spoke to the kidnappers and reported that "they appreciate the pullout of our troops who are close to their position (but)... what they want is a total pullout." Vice-governor Anne Sahidula, another government negotiator, said that it was unlikely the kidnappers would extend their deadline. Asked if she believed they would carry out their threat, she said "from what I have seen, they are used to doing this. It is like human life means nothing to them." The Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf is blamed for some of the Philippines' worst attacks. It has not demanded money for the ICRC hostages, although previous abductions led to millions of dollars in ransom payments.

[tallcoolone 102]

Why would any tourist or Non Filipino go to Jolo, that is where all the ABU Sayaf mess seems to be.

I spent all my time in the Southern Part of PI, and I like the region.

I feel safe 99% of the time.

If I happen to have to go to a heavy Muslim area I just hire a PNP officer to give me escort, and if you are in presence of PNP officer you are legally allowed to carry a firearm also.

[sj5 4]

I don't feel secure with PNP. Those Islams in Jolo are murderer.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I was watching the Filipino News last night with the wife. Didn't they already behead one or more of the hostages already?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Philippine hostage fate unknown

The Philippine Red Cross has asked Islamic rebels for proof that three aid workers held hostage are alive.

The request comes a day after a deadline imposed by the Abu Sayyaf group to kill a hostage if Philippine army troops did not leave Jolo Island.

The island's governor, Sakur Tan, said an informant had told him the hostages were still alive.

Three workers for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were taken hostage by gunmen on 15 January.

Swiss national Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba have since been held in the jungles of Jolo Island, Mindanao, in the southern Philippines.

The three aid workers were abducted after a visit to a local prison, where the ICRC is funding a water project.

Proof of life

Senator Richard Gordon, head of the Philippine Red Cross said he wanted proof the three were still alive.

"I want to talk to the three. It is a measure to rebuild confidence," he said in a radio interview.

Security officials told The Associated Press that a last-ditch attempt by two Muslim lawmakers to negotiate the release of the hostages faltered on Tuesday after Governor Tan declared a state of emergency in the predominantly Muslim province.

The declaration included a curfew, roadblocks and the redeployment of government forces near the Abu Sayyaf camp in Indanan township, only a week after they pulled out in hopes the hostages might be freed.

Tanks and truckloads of marines moved toward Indanan to try to surround the gunmen, Governor Tan said.

"We'll make sure that these bandits cannot kidnap again," he added.

However, other reports suggest the troops have not yet moved into attack positions.

"We are still exploring the possibility of a safe release of the hostages," Lt Col Edgard Arevalo, marine spokesman, told Reuters news agency on Wednesday.

He added that the provincial governor had sent emissaries to talk to the rebels.

The Abu Sayyaf has a history of beheading captives.

In 2001, American Guillermo Sobero was killed after the government turned down attempts by the rebels to negotiate for hostages on the nearby island of Basilan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7975798.stm