Sayyaf hostage dead?

ZAMBOANGA CITY - One of three Indonesians being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf has reportedly died due to sickness, the military said yesterday.

Brig. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, commander of the military’s Operation Endgame, said they received reports that one of the three Indonesian succumbed to illness, but they are still trying to verify the report.

"We cannot make any categorical confirmation as of the moment. We are still verifying and we hope that the report is not true. There are still some doubts," he said.

Tolentino said the report did not even identify which of the three Indonesians captives died in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf.

In Manila, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also said they are still verifying the report.

The Indonesian sailors — skipper Munto Jacobo Winowatan, first officer Julkipli and chief engineer Pieter Lerrich, second Ferdinan Joel — were snatched by the Abu Sayyaf last June 17 aboard M/T Sentil Marine 88 tugboat pulling a barge off Capual Island near Jolo, Sulu.

Joel was rescued the following day by the military in Luuk, also in Sulu.

Aside from the three remaining Indonesian captives, the bandits are also holding four Filipino women evangelists of the Jehovah’s Witness whom they seized last Aug. 20.

Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya said operations against the Abu Sayyaf are still ongoing.

He confirmed that the seven hostages were sighted with the group of bandit leader Radulan Sahiron, constantly moving around Sulu to evade pursuing government soldiers.

But Abaya did not elaborate when the sighting occurred, saying this might jeopardize ongoing military operations. – With Mike Frialde