Last Three Malaysian Hostages Freed by Abu Sayyaf

The last three Malaysian Hostages were freed Sunday morning after being kept for four months in the jungle lair of the Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippine island of Jolo.

The three Malaysians arrived in the southern city of Zamboanga, some 150 kilometers northeast of Jolo, together with a special envoy of Lee Peng Wee, a government negotiator working for the release of the Malaysian hostages, the ABS-CBN TV station reported.

They were turned over to chief government negotiator Robert Aventajado and Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines M.H. Ershad at an air base in the city.

So far, the Abu Sayyaf has released all the nine Malaysians of the 21 mostly foreign hostages it kidnapped from Malaysia's diving resort of Sipadan on April 23. The nine are workers at the resort.

Speaking at a press conference held at the air base, the Malaysian ambassador extended thanks to the Philippine government for its efforts in managing the hostage crisis.

He also conveyed to negotiators heartfelt gratitude from the family members of the nine Malaysians.

It is very difficult to deal with the kidnappers, but the Philippine negotiating team got substantive results, Ershad said.

Earlier reports said the three Malaysians were released Friday. Negotiators said heavy rains and atrocious weather conditions had hampered their release, preventing their transport from Jolo to Zamboanga.

Ershad also expressed the hope that more hostages of the Sipadan group will be released soon.

The Abu Sayyaf rebels are still holding 10 hostages of the Sipadan group -- two Germans, two French nationals, two Finns, two South Africans, one Lebanese and one Filipino.

Besides, they have in their hands three French TV journalists and 12 Filipino Christian evangelists who went to Jolo last month to cover the hostage crisis and pray for the hostages.

Up to now, the Abu Sayyaf has released in batches nine Malaysians, one ailing German woman and one Filipino of the Sipadan group, and one German journalist and two local TV reports.

The rebels Saturday reneged on an agreement with government negotiators to release all its hostages in one batch, alleging the military is preparing an offensive against them.



People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/