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Manila Welcomes Abu Sayyaf's Acceptance of Hostage Negotiator
The Philippine government welcomed the Abu Sayyaf's decision Saturday accepting Robert Aventajado anew as the chief of a government team negotiating for the release of 21 hostages held by the extremist group.
Philippine Press Secretary Ricardo Puno expressed optimism over this development, saying this would hopefully get "back on track" the negotiations for the release of the mostly foreign hostages held captive on the Jolo island in the southern province of Sulu.
"We view this as a welcome development and we hope that this would pave the way for the resumption of serious negotiations focusing on the urgent matter at hand, which is the speedy release of all the hostages," said Puno, who is also the presidential spokesman.
The Abu Sayyaf, in a handwritten statement dated June 17, announced that it was accepting Aventajado as the chief government negotiator tasked to obtain the release of the hostages kidnapped by the rebel group from a diving resort in neighboring Malaysia on April 23, according to a press release from the Presidential Palace.
Abu Sayyaf leaders Mujib Susukan and Commander Robot said in the statement that the group was ready to welcome Aventajado after receiving the assurance that he would be "the last person to favor military action" in resolving the hostage crisis.
The rebel group demanded last Saturday the replacement of Aventajado as chief negotiator because he hinted to reporters at the possibility of a military rescue operation if the rebels became unreasonable in their demands.
Aventajado, however, clarified that his statements were taken out of context by the media as he stressed that he would be the last person to favor military action for the hostages' release.
The government decided last Sunday to take three to four days as a"cooling off" period to examine the Abu Sayyaf's demands, which include the setting up of an independent Muslim state in the south and the formation of a commission between the Philippines and Malaysia to address the alleged maltreatment of Filipino Muslims in the Malaysian state of Sabah.
The group has also reportedly demanded a total ban on commercial fishing in the Sulu Sea and a ransom ranging from US$15 million to US$21 million for the release of the hostages.
The government negotiating panel had one formal meeting with the Abu Sayyaf on May 27. A second round of formal negotiations, which was to have been held last Saturday, was scuttled by the group's rejection of Aventajado.
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