Sayyaf: Give us Robin or we'll give you death

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Abu Sayyaf guerrillas warned they would start beheading their male captives, one of them a Catholic priest, if the government does not send action star Robin Padilla as chief negotiator soon.

"They have 72 hours," said Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Asmad Alayuddin. "If the government does not allow Padilla to negotiate for the safe release of the hostages, we will invite reporters to witness the execution of the captives."

Alayuddin said two male hostages would be decapitated every day, and they would include Fr. Roel Gallardo, six teachers and two students.

The nine men were among more than 50 civilians taken hostage from two schools in Basilan last March 20.

Earlier, President Estrada rejected the demand, saying Padilla - who converted to Islam following a brief stint in jail for illegal possession of firearms - did not have the capability or expertise to handle hostage situations.

Meanwhile, a vigilante group threatened to put before a firing squad the mother and eight relatives of Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani should the Abu Sayyaf rebels start beheading their captives.

"They (Abu Sayyaf) start it and we will finish it," vigilante leader Abdul Mijal said in Filipino.

Mijal said Janjalani's mother would be the first to go once the vigilantes decide to kill their hostages who had been snatched in a counter abduction.

Twenty-three of the original Abu Sayyaf captives were freed late last month in exchange for food and medicine and the freedom of Janjalani's wife and daughter.

Alayuddin also called on the Vatican to take part in the negotiations or send a representative to help in the talks.

"We are holding a Catholic priest and the Pope should act swiftly to save the life of his servant and the rest of the hostages," he said.

Cris Puno, spokesman for the Crisis Management Committee earlier formed to deal with the Abu Sayyaf, said committee members agreed to have Padilla as "one of the negotiators" but stressed the rebels should put forth "some form of goodwill" first by releasing 15 children.

Janjalani's father-in-law, Ustadz Hussain Manatad, was negotiating with the Abu Sayyaf, while non-government organizations and religious leaders were talking with Mijal's vigilantes, he added - Alvin Tarroza and AFP