‘Sobero dead, Janjalani alive’

The Armed Forces conceded yesterday that American hostage Guillermo Sobero may have been executed by his Abu Sayyaf captors as claimed by one of their leaders.

But the military refused to confirm that Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffi Janjalani is dead, contrary to the claim of Basilan Gov. Wahab Akbar.

"We would not like to confirm that Janjalani is dead," AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan told reporters. "Unless the body is found, we cannot be certain that he is dead."

Adan said freed hostage Francis Ganzon had reported seeing Janjalani alive and well before Ganzon and teenage hostage Kimberly Jao Uy were released to a Muslim cleric on Wednesday. Ganzon also said Sobero appeared to have been executed.

"We have strong reason to believe the statements of Mr. Ganzon that Sobero is dead. He appeared to have been killed sometime on the night of June 11 after being hog-tied and separated from the rest of the hostages," Adan told reporters.

While Ganzon said he did not see Sobero being killed, Adan said the testimony of the former hostage was the closest confirmation the authorities could get on Sobero’s reported execution.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy said it was concerned over the true state of Sobero but maintained they would not negotiate with the bandits for the release of their American captives.

US Embassy public affairs chief Michael Anderson said they were aware of the military briefing yesterday but could not independently confirm the report.

Bandit leader Abu Sabaya announced Sobero’s execution on June 12 as an Independence Day "gift" to President Arroyo. The gruesome execution was announced a day after the government agreed to a bandit demand to allow two Malaysians as mediators.

Sobero was among the 20 people the bandits kidnapped from the upscale Dos Palmas island resort off Puerto Princesa City in Palawan on May 27 and brought to Basilan after a grueling 11-hour boat ride.

"Before this, he was suffering from a wound on his right foot. It appears he was diabetic because the wound did not heal after the nurses administered antibiotics," Adan said.

The AFP spokesman said Sobero sustained the wound as they were dragged by the bandits from a hospital in Lamitan town where they seized three nurses and a school principal.

According to Akbar, the bandits raided Lamitan to get a doctor who could attend to Janjalani’s wounds which were reportedly serious but the doctor escaped and the bandits abducted the nurses instead.

Citing personal agents, Akbar said Janjalani was wounded in an encounter with government forces shortly after they arrived from Palawan on May 31 and subsequently died because of the wounds.

Adan said Janjalani is still alive as far as the military is concerned but encouraged people to locate where Akbar claimed the bandit leader was buried.

As for Sobero, Adan said he had been injecting himself, presumably with insulin, during the voyage from Palawan to Basilan but then ran out of medicine and started shaking.

"We do not know if he was executed or died of infection," Adan said.

In California, Sobero’s brothers Alberto and Pablo said on Sunday they had spoken with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) but it could not confirm Guillermo’s death.

Pablo said Guillermo was not diabetic but Guillermo’s neighbor Cherill Renwick said he suffered from asthma.

"Various groups have been asked to help locate the body of Sobero. We have no proof as to the exact cause of death," Adan said, adding that the beheading was only a statement of Sabaya.

Meanwhile, Adan said government troopers remain in hot pursuit of the bandits on Basilan island but he stressed the military is also confirming "raw" reports that the bandits have managed to slip their hostages off the island to their strongholds in nearby Sulu.

Burnhams are surviving well

He said the two other Americans, missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham of Kansas, were surviving fairly well under the circumstances.

He confirmed that Martin, like several other hostages, was wounded in the back during intense fighting at Lamitan town but Adan said the wound was not serious.

The Burnhams, who have been living in the Philippines since 1986, ate mostly rice and occasionally got coconuts with brown sugar, small dried fish and a tin of sardines, Adan said.

"The hostages are exhausted due to long mountain walks, most of the time at night to evade government troops pursuing them. They have been split into two groups. The Burnhams’ faith has kept them strong," Adan said.

He reported a 15-minute encounter between soldiers and the bandits yesterday afternoon after which they recovered communication equipment and an M-16 rifle.

"Our troops are closing in on them," he said. "The vegetation is very dense and terrain is muddy and the rebels have their diversionary attacks to mislead their true location. Sometimes, they have to hold on to ropes and go down very steep ravines."

In addition to the three Americans, the bandits still hold seven hostages from Palawan and the four captives from Lamitan. Another Abu Sayyaf faction abducted 15 plantation workers from Lantawan but it could not be determined if the workers are also with the Palawan hostages.

On Saturday, the bandits released Ganzon and Jao Uy to a Muslim cleric allegedly after their families paid a still undetermined amount of ransom.

But Adan said Ganzon and Jao Uy were released because of the military pressure. The military has been severely criticized for its continued failure to pin down the bandits and their hostages.

Ganzon himself said he was released as a "gesture of goodwill."– With Aurea Calica