Abus offer to free Deborah

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Abu Sayyaf said in a radio broadcast yesterday it would free a Filipina nurse held captive for nearly a year in exchange for livelihood projects for Muslims.

"We will free Deborah Yap," the group’s spokesman, Abu Sabaya, said over Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) in a telephone interview.

Sabaya, apparently using a satellite phone, did not set a timetable.

The station said Sabaya called up late Wednesday, hours after the US government offered $5 million each for the capture of the Abu Sayyaf spokesman and four other top leaders of the Islamist group.

"We will release her any moment. But I hope there will be nobody who says this is a rescue. This is not a rescue. This is a release," Sabaya said.

He said his group would release Yap not for ransom but partly because the nurse rendered assistance to Abu Sayyaf fighters.

"She has become part of us because she has no choice," Sabaya said.

Yap was taken hostage June 2 last year when the gunmen raided a church-hospital compound in Lamitan, Basilan to seize medical staff and medicine to treat their wounded comrades.

At the hospital, Yap met US missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham who were abducted days earlier along with 18 other people in a guerrilla raid on a Palawan beach resort. The Burnhams are still held captive by the group despite the alleged payment of ransom.

Sabaya made no mention of the US hostages, but suggested Yap would be freed as part of a deal with former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson, who has tried to negotiate the release of Abu Sayyaf hostages in the past.

Sabaya did not say when Yap would be freed, adding: "We will turn her over to a certain person."

"We hope Chavit Singson would make good on his pledge to give us livelihood and scholarships for Muslim children," he said.

Singson, a wealthy politician whose exposé on illegal gambling payoffs led to the impeachment of now jailed President Joseph Estrada, told the station later he was willing to put up the money.

"The provision of livelihood (assistance), we can do that very quickly. We will coordinate programs for that. Those who need livelihood, they should advise us so we will know what kind of livelihood projects are needed before we provide the funds," the former governor said.

He stressed that assistance can be arranged "as long as there is no ransom."

"We will be thankful if they will release Deborah," he said.

Singson voiced the hope the Americans would be freed as well.

"This is a good start because people think they (Abu Sayyaf) are bandits and terrorists. If they free all the hostages we can say that they are not that bad," he said.

In the past, Muslim armed groups have been paid "livelihood assistance" for the release of their hostages. This is widely regarded as a euphemism for ransom.

Malacañang refused to comment on the latest Abu Sayyaf offer, saying the government does not react to terrorist demands.

Instead, Presidential Spokesman Silvestre Afable reiterated President Arroyo’s demand for the kidnappers to immediately release all captives unconditionally.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines dismissed Sabaya’s promise as mere propaganda aimed at buying more time for the rebels as they evade a tightening military noose.

AFP chief Gen. Roy Cimatu said the Abu Sayyaf is preempting things that are already happening.

"In fact, what he (Sabaya) is saying is that the military might make the rescue first. The Southern Command is doing a good job there," Cimatu said.

Southcom chief Maj. Gen. Ernesto Carolina said the announcement would not affect the military operation in Basilan.

"With or without negotiations, we will continue the operation. We are doing our best to rescue Deborah Yap," he said. – With Marichu Villanueva, Paolo Romero, AFP