Sayyaf rejects prisoner swap

The extremist Abu Sayyaf rejected yesterday a purported proposal for an exchange of prisoners to resolve the two-week-old hostage crisis in Mindanao.

This developed as go-vernment officials awaited word on the fate of three American hostages threatened with beheading by their Abu Sayyaf captors.

Bandit spokesman Abu Sabaya on Wednesday gave the government 72 hours to meet their demand or the Americans would be beheaded.

Sabaya reportedly contacted government-appointed negotiator William Castillo, but only to deny that there was a proposal for a prisoner swap with the government.

"We will not swap our hostages for any members of our family (in jail). There is no bargaining here," Sabaya said.

He was reacting to radio reports that his group had promised to release their American captives in exchange for the freedom of Hector Janjalani, a jailed brother of Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffi Janjalani.

Sabaya said their leaders have not given such orders. He gave no word about the fate of the American and Filipino captives.

Castillo confirmed that he talked briefly with Sabaya by telephone, but added that the line was cut before they could discuss details.

Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said the proposal for prisoner swap, though unconfirmed, "is a positive development."

"This is the first time that they are offering the release of the hostages without any (ransom) payment," Tiglao told reporters.

Despite the threat, the government stressed there was no softening of their stand against the extremist guerrillas who are holding the Americans and 10 Filipinos in the island-province of Basilan.

The Abu Sayyaf demanded that former Malaysian senator Sarno Sairin and businessman Yusuf Hamdan be appointed mediators

or they would start executing the Americans –missionary couple Martin Burnham and wife Gracia of Wichita, Kansas, and Guillermo Sobero of California.

They were snatched on April 27 from the upscale resort of Dos Palmas in Palawan, along with 14 Filipino guests and three resort workers.

"We do not know why Abu Sabaya is asking for these two Malaysians," Adan said.

He said the government might consider bringing in the two Malaysians provided their presence here would not result in financial gains for the Abu Sayyaf.

"The main objective is not simply recovering the hostages, but destroying the capability of the Abu Sayyaf terrorists and their allies to continue terrorizing the people," Adan stressed.

Sairin and Yusuf negotiated with the Abu Sayyaf for the release of a group of Malaysians seized by the bandits during a raid on the Malaysian dive resort of Sipadan on Easter Sunday last year.

Malaysian Home Minister Abdullah Admad Badawi also said he saw no reason for his country to interfere in internal matters of the Philippines.

Nine of the Filipino hostages have either escaped or were rescued as pursuing soldiers and policemen engaged some 60 to 100 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Lamitan town over the weekend. Two of the resort workers were executed, one of them decapitated.

While President Arroyo opened the door for negotiations on the safe release of the hostages, she emphasized that ransom would be out of the question.

Sabaya demanded a recall of troops to barracks as a condition for the talks.

"We are not softening our stance. The no-ransom policy remains," said Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

He said while peaceful negotiations were being pursued, the police-military operations would continue.

"Talking is intertwined with military force. There is a negotiating team and there is a police and military component," Adan said.

He expressed optimism that the Abu Sayyaf bandits would not push through their threat.

"There are no reports that they have beheaded (the Americans), and we hope they would not do that because they would have a heavy price to pay," Adan said.

National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said the US government accepted Manila’s position on the hostage crisis.

Golez questioned the credentials of Sairin as an intermediary between the Philippine government and the Abu Sayyaf.

Asked what would happen when the ultimatum expires, Golez said; "We will cross the bridge when we get there."

Sabaya rejected the government-designated William Castillo as official negotiator.

The US government also remained unfazed by the Abu Sayyaf threat and reiterated its call for the unconditional release of the hostages.

Sayyaf splits up into two groups

Adan said the Abu Sayyaf bandits have split up into at least two groups to facilitate their movement in the dense jungles of Basilan.

Adan admitted that the enemy’s move lessened chances of bringing an early end to the hostage drama.

He said it was not clear how many of the hostages were taken by each group.

However, he gave assurance that thousands of soldiers were deployed all over Basilan as the troops pressed their assault on the extremist guerrillas.

In another development, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) denied allegations it was coddling the Abu Sayyaf.

MILF deputy chief for military affairs Ghazali Jaafar said their commanders were under instructions not to give assistance to the bandits.

Jaafar assured the people that the MILF cannot seek refuge in any of the MILF camps in Mindanao.

He also said the hostage crisis will not derail the forthcoming peace talks between his group and the government, adding that an MILF team is set to leave for Libya next week for the resumption of the negotiations.

Meanwhile four teams for the Philippine National Police criminal investigation and detection group(CIDG) will be dispatched to Basilan and Palawan to assist Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in conducting a probe on the Abu Sayyaf abductions.

CIDG director Chief Superintendent Nestorio Gualberto met yesterday with the head of the FBI team, Dennis Pierce, to discuss possible areas of cooperation in the probe.

"As we have agreed, they will provide us technical assistance only. Whatever evidence we have gathered, we will share with them and ask their opinions when it is needed," Gualberto said.

In a related development, a Basilan judge has issued a warrant of arrest against Abu Sayyaf leaders and followers who stormed a church and a hospital in Lamitan town over the weekend.

Judge Danilo Bucoy, of the 9th judicial trial court of Basilan, issued the warrant following the filing of charges by local police.

Bucoy gave the police 10 days to comply with his arrest order. — Roel Pareño, Paolo Romero, Christina Mendez, Marichu Villanueva, Jaime Laude, Mayen Jaymalin