Muslim rebels yesterday claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of three Americans and 17 Filipinos from a southern Philippine resort and put one of the Americans on radio to back their claim.
"We are admitting it, we are the ones who did it," Abu Sabaya, a spokesman for the Abu Sayyaf rebels, told the DXRV radio station in a telephone call.
PHOTO: REUTERS
He said the 20 hostages had been divided into two groups and were on Basilan and Jolo, two neighboring islands in the south where the guerrilla group has set up jungle camps.
The Abu Sayyaf gained notoriety last year for abducting some 40 people, including several Western tourists from a Malaysian resort, and receiving ransoms of up to US$1 million for many of them.
The latest victims were kidnapped around dawn on Sunday from the Dos Palmas island resort, some 480km to the northwest across the Sulu Sea, and the group has evaded a dragnet spread by the Philippine navy and air force.
Martin Burnham, a 41-year-old missionary and one of the three Americans among the hostages, also spoke to the radio station and said: "Hi, I am Mr Martin Burnham, a US citizen. I am a missionary. I am with my wife, we are in the custody of the Abu Sayyaf under Khadafy Janjalani ... We are safe, our needs are being met. We would like to appeal to all for a reasonable and safe negotiation."
Filipino travel journalist Raul Recio also spoke on the phone, with a similar message.
Janjalani heads one of the factions of the Abu Sayyaf. His followers also held American Jeffrey Schilling for eight months before the man was freed in April when a military patrol chanced upon the rebels on Jolo and the guerrillas fled, leaving their captive behind.
Sabaya made no ransom demands on Monday, but the group had asked for US$2 million for Schilling. He also said: "Let's not compare this with Jeffrey. Jeffrey was a Muslim, that's why we had second thoughts about harming him. Now we have three Americans, let's not embarrass each other."
Government officials said there would be no change in their current policy of not paying ransom.
"No negotiations, no ransom," said National Security Adviser Roilo Golez.
The government, however, did offer a reward of 100 million pesos (US$2 million) for information leading to the capture of the kidnappers and vowed to "meet force with force."
"There will be no ransom. The only kind of negotiations will be for the unconditional release of the hostages," presidential spokesman Roberto Tiglao told reporters after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo met senior advisers.
"We will meet force with force."
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