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ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Abu Sayyaf bandits holding captive
four Basilan Electric Cooperative (Baselco) employees
have given the company until Tuesday to pay ransom, or
they would increase the demand and start killing the
hostages.
The
ultimatum was sent through a text message to Baselco
general manager Alfredo Oyao during the crisis
management committee (CMC) meeting on Friday.
An
informant disclosed that the Abu Sayyaf said in its text
message that Baselco has until Tuesday to produce P1
million, otherwise the amount will be raised to P10
million.
Still
being held captive are Emilberto Singson, Alberto
Singson, Paul Herwig and Ian Herwig of Baselco’s
engineering department.
The
Singsons and the Herwigs, along with Ronnie Tansiung,
were seized on June 26 in barangay Sinulatan, Tuburan,
Basilan. Tansiung was freed on the same day.
The
bandits threatened to kill one of the hostages if
Baselco fails to meet their demands, the informant
revealed.
It was
not, however, made known when the 10-man kidnappers who
belong to the Abu Sayyaf band, led by Nur Hassan Jamiri,
would start killing the hostages.
At the
same time, the bandits rejected Basilan Vice Gov.
Alrashid Sakalahalul’s offer to stand as the negotiator
for the release of the hostages since he is the CMC
chairman.
Of the
10 members of the kidnappers’ group, six do not favor
Sakalahul, a former military man and erstwhile actor, to
serve as the negotiator.
“They
[six members] are also not amenable to the P1 million in
ransom demand and want a higher price.”
The CMC
has designated Masid Yacub, Baselco director for Tuburan
town, and Nidjal Indahid, director for Tipo-Tipo, to
stand as negotiators in seeking the safe release of the
hostages.
The
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) police
commander, Chief Supt. Joel Goltiao, earlier disclosed
that the police are giving Baselco and the negotiators a
free hand to convince the bandits to free the captives. |
