The attaché case, please - Why And Why Not

It's come down to how much money and how soon the tawdry deal could be signed, sealed and delivered.

As everybody had suspected, nay believed, from Day One of the Jolo hostage crisis, this was nothing but another case of kidnapping with ransom. But of course, carried to the absurdest political levels with the willful hysterical participation of media. And mind you, not just with normal Filipino journalistic razzmatazz, but with dollar-driven participation from an instant army of scoop-hungry foreign correspondents.

Speaking of success, the Abu Sayyaf has truly come a long way.

Now we are told by Presidential chief negotiator Robert Aventajado that the release of the victims is close at hand. The only thing that's keeping him from pulling off a Henry Kissinger act, Filipino style, is that the kidnappers have put across two political demands that are, well, non-negotiable.

But we knew that all along. And it's no great secret that the point of the whole exercise has never departed from paying off Commander Robot and company and getting the whole bloody mess out of the way.

Aventajado could have saved himself a lot of grief and the 21 kidnap victims a lot of needless aggravation and stress had he not made such pompous noises about the Estrada administration not ever submitting to terrorist demands and, horror of horrors, paying ransom.

Indeed, this 36-day hostage crisis could have been over and done with two or even three weeks ago. As soon as that jolly former Libyan ambassador made his first appearance on the scene, emerging from the Citation jet right behind Aventajado, the signal was out that this was another of those Libyan-inspired kidnapping spectaculars, courtesy of the great Qaddafi. That Supreme Leader or whatever they call him has always had it both ways in this very impressionable country -- as promoter of secession and outlawry and as the Philippine government's savior from international embarrassment.

No wonder that a week ago when Aventajado tried to go solo in meeting with the Abu Sayyaf, he was conspicuously stood up. Twice before the media circus that accompanies his every movement, he had to lamely explain that something had gone amiss and that, in any case, the negotiations would really get off the next day.

Without Abdul Rajab Azzarouq, the Libyan with the conspicuous and bulging attaché case, no negotiations can commence and, of course, there can be no release of hostages. That much was made clear to everyone.

Only after Azzarouq finally reappeared on the scene did the bargaining session finally get started. But take note, the guy insisted on nothing less than equal billing with Aventajado. It was clear which one of the Abu Sayyaf wanted to talk to -- and who could deliver the goods for them.

The only fly in the ointment, so to speak, is that Aventajado's mantra about caving in and giving ransom to terrorists just cannot be swept aside. Part of the reason for the delay, we are told by some insiders, is that the Abu Sayyaf, no more than unlettered brigands, just couldn't get their "political demands" into writing as airily demanded by Aventajado. That would mean engaging in Nur Misuari's ego-tripping mumbo-jumbo about setting up an Islamic republic and all that.

If Misuari has had to settle for the measly but lucrative governorship of four ragtag provinces calling themselves an autonomous region, how could a much smaller force frankly engaged in kidnapping and money-making get away with a republic for themselves? The Abu Sayyaf can be accused of anything except the pathetic crime of intellectual overreach.

Not even the Organization of Islamic Conference and all those Islamic think tanks and religious foundations can be expected to go along with this total farce. And indeed, there has been a blizzard of condemnation from the Islamic world about the Jolo hostage-taking being "un-Islamic" and a travesty of everything Muslims hold dear.

Encouraged by Aventajado to lie through the skin of their teeth, the Abu Sayyaf last Saturday formally asked that such a separate republic be established and, secondly, that Malaysia organize a commission to alleviate the plight of Filipino Muslims in that neighboring country.

The group could only have done Aventajado a great favor, say some observers, by enabling him to posture as a patriotic statesman who ought to be rewarded some day with a Senate seat or another fat contract. Thus, he piously intoned that President Estrada would be impeached and rightfully so if Estrada gave in to the first demand. Malaysia's Mahathir Mohamad, from whose country the hostages were taken, was predictably not amused.

Get real, Mr. Aventajado. Let Azzarouq be Azzarouq. Get on with the unsavory business of settling Libyan-sponsored mischief with Libyan money. Call the ransom "board and lodging", "development aid" or whatever. Let Qaddafi have his way. The real challenge facing the administration lies in Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao. But Azzarouq will have to come back with a trunk or a container van.

Nelson A. Navarro's e-mail address: <[email protected]>