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Rebels Demand 200 Mln Pesos for Hostages Release
An Abu Sayyaf commander Thursday asked for 200 million pesos (5 million U.S. dollars) from the Philippine government to effect the release of the 21 hostages still in their hands.
Abu Sayyaf Commander Galip Andang said that there will be no release of hostages unless the ransom of 200 million pesos is produced by the government with the help of the mother countries of the foreign hostages.
The rebel chief relayed this to Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Nur Misuari, one of the leading government negotiators, Thursday afternoon, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.
On Wednesday Abdulaziz Rajab Azarouq, former Libyan ambassador to the Philippines and government negotiators met face-to-face for the first time in 17 days with the rebels but failed to convince them to release two sick hostages.
German Renate Wallert is suffering from hypertension, while French Steponie Loisy is afflicted with urinary tract infection. The rebels asked the negotiators to give them 24 hours to made a decision.
The 21 hostages, three Germans, two French, two Finns, two South Africans, one Lebanese and 11 Asians, were taken from a Malaysian diving resort on April 23 and moved to the Philippine island of Jolo.
The negotiation team planned to meet the rebels again Thursday afternoon, but the meeting is unlikely to take place, reports from Jolo said.
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