AFP won't negotiate with Sayyaf for hostages' release

Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes rejected yesterday any negotiation with the Muslim fundamentalist group Abu Sayyaf for the release of 42 hostages still being held in two jungle hideouts in Basilan.

Earlier, the guerrillas released a pregnant teacher and two students to representatives of the Philippine National Red Cross and the Roman Catholic Church, said Red Cross provincial head Alan Cajucom.

In Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, President Estrada warned the Abu Sayyaf yesterday that the government will crush it if the group does not make peace before the June 30 deadline.

In Basilan, regional military officials said they are still trying to confirm reports that other hostages had been released aside from the three.

"Our policy is that we don't negotiate with terrorists and this is because what the terrorists want is to terrorize us," Reyes told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo.

"What we would like to happen, what we are doing is that we are continuing recovery efforts and pursuit operations so that we can recover the hostages," he said.

However, Reyes said the military does not oppose other groups negotiating for the hostages' release as long as they would not hamper efforts to rescue them.

"If some people would want to try their efforts in negotiating with them, and they are successful, that's good," he said. "But (military) operations would continue."

The Abu Sayyaf has threatened to kill the hostages if they are not given food and the military does not halt attempts to rescue the captives.

But Reyes expressed hope that the Abu Sayyaf would not make good its threat to kill the hostages.

"It would reveal the real character of these people as terrorists," he said.

Hadji Sabayan, Abu Sayyaf spokesman, said the group will only release the hostages to a representative of the Vatican and Basilan Rep. Gerry Salappudin.

Of the original 50 hostages, 42 were kidnapped in Barangay Tumahumbong and eight were taken from Barangay Sinangkapan, both in Basilan. They included 30 students, teachers and officials from Claret School in Tumahumbong, and a Catholic priest.

Cajucom told a radio interview that the Red Cross and Church emissaries walked for several hours in the Basilan jungle for a rendezvous with the three hostages and some of their captors.

He said the emissaries handed over several sacks of rice, canned goods and medicines to the guerrillas, but were not allowed to see or speak to the rest of the hostages.

The pregnant teacher, Winnifer Rosa Selerio, was reportedly very weak and was taken by boat to a military hospital in Zamboanga City.

"The rebels separated the hostages," Abdulrahman Asjad, one of the freed students, said. "They asked us about our religions and who are Muslims and who are Christians."

Cajucom identified some of the hostages as Marisa Rante, Annabelle Arellano, Nurthaida Kotoh, Saida Sahirin, Nila Ahajud, Macario Mandun, Abubakar Denil, Sahjuen Sijen, Ruben Democrito, Rodolfo Iron, Dante Uban, Nelson Enriquez, Lalda Adjun, Teresita Academia, Erlinda Manuel, Edith Suname, and Albert Sahao, all teachers; and Darry Reanbursa, Crisanto Ryan Lapulan, Ian Ray Lucid, Crisalyn Reanbursa, Anessa Caluton, Romela Mendoza, Nova Veralco, Hazel dela Torre, Josel dela Torre, Rellos Tria, Jennelyn Emo, Lynlyn Cachuela, Joan Barredo, Juliet Tonghay, Christelle Deva, Bon-Bon Tejalbo, Christie Vergara, Cherry Vergara, and Marie Christine Francisco.

The Abu Sayyaf attack came as clashes continued between the military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in southern Lanao del Norte. -- With Alvin Tarroza, Roel Pareño, AP, AFP