Relatives of the hostages who were taken by the Abu Sayyaf in Palawan, southwestern Phili-ppines last Sunday, have started to contact relatives of the rebels in the southern Philippines, for a possible back channel and ransom payment, a senior official has said.

"We have heard about that report. But I have talked with the relatives of the hostages and told them that such an approach would not hasten the resolution of this crisis," said Justice Secre-tary Hernando Perez.

The government is discouraging other emissaries, including local government officials and media men from being used as a conduit between the relatives of the hostages and the Abu Sayyaf leaders.

"We informed them that it would not be good to pay ransom. We pointed out that the reason the Abu Sayyaf has excellent weapons and equipment is that they have the money to buy these weapons and equipment," Perez said, adding that relatives must not tell the media how wealthy they are so that the Abu Sayyaf group could not increase their ransom demands.

"Paying ransom would only strengthen them and increase their capability to conduct further raids in the northern areas of the Philippines," he added. "What the government has been doing is to ensure the safety of the hostages," said Perez, adding that the relatives of the hostages should "coordinate closely with the government".

President Gloria Arroyo designated Perez her personal emissary to relatives of the hostages. The government has been extra cautious in handling the hostage situation, adding it does not want to compromise the safety of the hostages.

Perez met the relatives of the hostages and gave them a briefing on progress in the hostage crisis, at the Civil Relations Service office in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. "She's aware of it. She is on top of the situation," National Security head Roilo Golez said when asked how President Macapagal-Arroyo gets her data on the Abu Sayyaf problem.

Arroyo called for a massive military manhunt against the Abu Sayyaf, ruled out any negotiations and payment of ransom, and asked for a news blackout on the military operations. She does not want a repeat of a situation when newsmen were used as emissaries, and were later kidnapped, during the group's kidnapping spree last year.

The 17 Filipinos who are in the hands of the bandits were identified as Francis Ganzon, Teresa Ganzon, Reghis Romero, Janice Ting Go, Luis Bautista III, Lalaine Chua, Kimberly Jao, Letty Jao, Raul de Guzman Recio, RJ Recio, Angie Montealegre, Divine Montealegre, Riza Rodriguez Santos, Ma. Fe Rosadeno, Sonny Dacquero, Armando Bayona and Eldren Morales.

The three abducted Americans were identified as Martin Burnham, Gracia Burnham and Guillermo Sobero.