ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Abu Sayyaf extended the deadline it imposed for its four hostage electric cooperative workers in the jungle of Basilan, according to a police official.
Basilan provincial police director Senior Superintendent Salik Macapantar said the extension was revealed by Vice Gov. Al-Rasheed Sakalahul following the last ditch talks made by its two new negotiators as the deadline lapsed shortly before noon yesterday.
“There was a breakthrough with the negotiation. The vice governor disclosed the negotiators managed to convince the abductors to extend its deadline,” Macapantar said.
He, however, said it was not clear if the extension was indefinite or another time frame was set by the kidnappers in exchange for the release of brothers Alberto and Emilberto Singson, and Paul and Birin Herowig – service crews of Basilan Electric Cooperative (Baselco).
The Abu Sayyaf led by Nur Hassan Jamiri earlier threatened to increase its original P1-million ransom demand to P10-million if the cooperative management and the victims’ families failed to comply.
Macapantar said they are not privy yet to the result of the negotiation but Sakalahul lauded the effort and was expecting for a good outcome in the next coming negotiation to free the victims.
“We are waiting for that next negotiation to happen so that the victims will be secured safely and reunited to their respective families,” Macapantar said.
Mary Jane Singson, a family of one of the victims, also revealed over local radio RMN about the reported extension of the deadline but declined to talk too much about the hostage crisis citing security.
Macapantar, citing information from the negotiators, the victims were not harmed and medicines were brought for the captives.