Burnhams welcome Gracia’s early release

STAR Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — The father of American missionary Martin Burnhan welcomed yesterday the possible release of his daughter-in-law Gracia ahead of her husband from the clutches of the Abu Sayyaf.

Paul Burnham told The STAR from his home in the Wichita, Kansas suburb of Rose Hill that it would be good if any of the three hostages – the Burnhams and Filipino nurse Deborah Yap – could be freed soon.

"Any time any of them can get out would be good," he said. "Of course, we would like to see all of them get out at the same time but if that is not possible, we would like to see Gracia get out if she could. We are anxious for any of the three (hostages) to get out."

Burnham was reacting to a STAR report yesterday quoting an unnamed government emissary as saying the Abu Sayyaf bandits were mulling the release of Gracia, who is reportedly suffering from urinary tract infection, ahead of Martin and Yap.

Burnham said he has had no contact with Martin and his kidnappers since March 13 when he negotiated with the Abu Sayyaf for the release of all three hostages.

"The contacts we had before do not seem to be worth waiting for," he said. "We feel the (Abu Sayyaf) should still honor their word and carry out our agreement. There was very little use to try to negotiate with them if they will not keep their word."

Burnham refused to give details of his agreement with the Abu Sayyaf, but according to US media reports the Burnham family paid the kidnappers $300,000.

During an interview with dzRZ Radio Agong last month, Burnham accused the Abu Sayyaf of "not living up to their part of the bargain."

In Zamboanga City, Lt. Col. Danilo Servando, spokesman for the Armed Forces Southern Command, said yesterday they are still verifying reports that the Abu Sayyaf will free Gracia.

"This is raw information subject to verification," he told reporters. "Perhaps, the Abu Sayyaf is considering this for humanitarian reasons."

However, Servando said the Abu Sayyaf cannot set any condition for the release of Gracia or any of the other hostages as the Armed Forces will not allow it.

"We will not allow that," he said. "The troops will not allow that."

Military operations to rescue the Burnhams and Yap are continuing without letup, he added.

Servando said if the claim of the supposed government emissary is true, then the initiative must come from the kidnappers and not the government.

"We treat this information of that emissary as it is," he said. "We hope it is true what the emissary is saying whoever he is."

The government is not negotiating with the Abu Sayyaf, he added.

Martin was reportedly showing signs of suffering from malaria, based on information gathered from the emissary who had gone to the rebel lair to deliver medicine to the American couple.

The Burnhams and Yap have been held for nearly a year now in Basilan island, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf whom the US had linked to Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network.

On the other hand, Zamboanga City police seized yesterday bullets for a caliber .90 recoilless rifle hidden in a sack of mangrove in Barangay Mariki, a slum area facing Basilan.

Police believe the bullets were hidden by followers of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon whose men were seen entering the city to bring his brother to the hospital.

Bakkal, Hapilon’s younger brother who is also an Abu Sayyaf leader, was wounded in a clash with government troops in Lantawan, Basilan recently.

Early last week, police raided an Abu Sayyaf safehouse in Barangay Talon-Talon but failed to catch any of Hapilon’s men.

However, police seized from the safehouse firearms, P150,000 in cash, a Suzuki van, and two motorcycles.

Also last week, police arrested Akmad Hapilon, 17, another brother of the Abu Sayyaf leader, in a house in Barangay Hondo, which is near Mariki.

Akmad was nursing wounds he had suffered during a recent encounter with soldiers. – With reports from Roel Pareño