Abu Sayyaf threatens to kill American hostage to prove he’s not ‘walk-in’

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Abu Sayyaf bandits threatened yesterday to kill Jeffrey Craig Edwards Schilling to show the world that the American is not a "walk-in hostage."

The threat was made over local radio by one Abu Cantada who had identified himself as a spokesman for the group responsible for the abduction last year of 21 mostly foreign tourists from Sipadan island in Malaysia.

Cantada told the radio interviewer that the government was "trying to create a scenario" to cover up the embarrassment resulting from Schilling’s kidnapping.

Reports earlier said that Schilling was a "walk-in hostage" and that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents are in the country to gather evidence against him.

However, US Embassy press officer Lonnie Kelley told reporters yesterday there was no truth to the report that US authorities were planning to charge Schilling in connection with his abduction by the Abu Sayyaf.

Schilling, 24, who comes from Oakland in California, was taken captive by the Abu Sayyaf when he and his Filipina wife visited the bandits’ hideout in the jungles of Sulu on Aug. 28 last year.

Cantada also denied allegations that the Abu Sayyaf was behind the spate of bombings in Metro Manila that killed 17 people and wounded scores of others last Saturday.

A few days before the bombings, police intelligence agents arrested Hector Janjalani, brother of Abu Sayyaf leader Khaddafi Janjalani, in a mall in Manila.

In Sulu, two soldiers were killed and two others wounded after 70 Abu Sayyaf fighters raided an Army detachment in the jungles of Talipao two days after the Islamic holy month of Ramadan ended.

The casualties were identified only as Privates Galano and Omano and one of the wounded as Richard Cunsolta.

However, Maj. Gen. Narciso Abaya, chief of the Armed Forces Western Command, told reporters yesterday Army troops killed one bandit and an undetermined number of others during three hours of fierce fighting.

Abaya said the bandits retreated after sensing that they were outnumbered and left behind an Armalite rifle and a bandoleer with six magazines loaded with ammunition.

In an encounter on New Year’s Day, a soldier was killed when troops on combat duty fought with Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sitio Wani, Patikul town at about 8:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day. — Roel Pareño