Private talks on for release of hostages

Some private groups are negotiating for the release of three hostages who have been held by the Abu Sayyaf group in Basilan for a year, two senior government officials said.

"I don't know what forms of communication are open. If there are any, these are private channels. There are no negotiations which are officially sanctioned," said the Acting Press Secretary Silvestre Afable.

But he did not say if President Gloria Arroyo is aware of these back-door channels, which could have started among private negotiators and a government official.

The hostages, Martin and Gracia Burnham, of the New Tribes Mission were abducted from a resort in Palawan, southwestern Philippines in May 2001. A Filipina nurse Deborah Yap, was taken from a hospital in Basilan on June 2 last year.

Adds Al Jacinto and Our Manila Bureau Chief: Norberto Gon-zales, presidential adviser for special concerns, has admitted there were some groups in Mindanao trying to open up negotiations with him for the release of the hostages, but did not identify them.

"There were attempts to open up negotiations by some well-meaning families (in Mindanao), but I rejected this because I know many people are only after money," Gonzales said.

Rodrigo Balbon, spokesman for the former presidential adviser Wee Dee Ping, confirmed Gonzales' group has contacted Malaysian trader Handam in Malaysia and had sought his help in securing the release of the U.S. hostages.

Handam called up and told that Gonzales asked for assistance, said Balbon. Wee was reported earlier as negotiating with the kidnappers to secure the captives' release, but he officially denied involvement in the negotiations.

The Abu Sayyaf has earlier demanded to negotiate with Gonzales and with the former Malaysian senator Sairin Karno and trader Handam, but Arroyo rejected this saying the kidnappers should free all the victims without ransom payment.

Gonzales was instrumental for the release of a kidnapped Italian missionary Giuseppe Pierantoni, last month, who was captured last year by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in Zamboanga del Sur province.

"If the claim of the supposed government emissary is true, then the initiative must come from the kidnappers and not from the government," said Lt Col Danilo Servando, spokesman for the Armed Forces Southern Command.

"We treat this information as it is. We hope it is true what the emissary is saying, whoever he is," Servando added.

Meanwhile, Paul, the father of Martin Burnham, has revealed the possibility that his daughter-in-law Gracia would be released ahead of her husband, a local paper said.

"Any time any of them get out would be good. Of course, we would like to see all of them get out at the same time but if that is not possible we would like to see Gracia get out if she could. We are anxious for any of the three (hostages) to get out," the elder Burnham told the Star.

Speaking from his home in the Wichita, Kansas suburb of Rose Hill, the elder Burnham said, "The contacts we had before do not seem to be worth waiting for. We feel the (Abu Sayyaf) should still honour their word and carry out our agreement. There was very little use to try to negotiate with them if they do not keep their word."

"This (reported release) is raw information subject to verification. Perhaps, the Abu Sayyaf is considering this for humanitarian reasons," said Servando.

Burnham did not give details of the agreement with the Abu Sayyaf, but earlier reports said the Burnham family paid an estimated $300,000 to the kidnappers.

Gracia is reportedly suffering from urinary tract infection, and Martin from malaria. Yap the nurse was not released for the sake of the Burnhams.

Burnham said he has had no contact with Martin and his kidnappers since March 13, when he negotiated with the Abu Sayyaf for the release of all three hostages.

At the same time, Servando said the Abu Sayyaf cannot set any condition for the release of the hostages. "We will not allow that. The troops will not allow that." He said the military operations to rescue the Burnhams and Yap are continuing without letup.