PHILIPPINES: MOSELM REBELS RELEASE FOUR MALAYSIANS OUT OF GROUP OF HOSTAGES KIDNAPPED THREE MONTHS AGO
Record ID:
646943
PHILIPPINES: MOSELM REBELS RELEASE FOUR MALAYSIANS OUT OF GROUP OF HOSTAGES KIDNAPPED THREE MONTHS AGO
- Title: PHILIPPINES: MOSELM REBELS RELEASE FOUR MALAYSIANS OUT OF GROUP OF HOSTAGES KIDNAPPED THREE MONTHS AGO
- Date: 21st July 2000
- Summary: JOLO, PHILIPPINES (JULY 21, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS FOUR MALAYSIAN HOSTAGES GETTING OFF JEEPNEY AFTER BEING RELEASED/WALKING INTO ARMY BASE/SOLDIERS STANDING AROUND/SOLDIERS DRIVING AWAY (7 SHOTS) 0.58 2. MV/CU RELEASED MALAYSIAN HOSTAGES POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (3 SHOTS) 1.13 3. SV SOUNDBITE (English) RELEASED MALAYSIAN HOSTAGE, VINCENT KWONG, SAYING "Very happy" 1.19 4. SV SOUNDBITE (English) MALAYSIAN EMISSARY DATU ABDUL AZIZ SHAMSUDDIN SAYING "Very happy and we thank god that the release is done and we hope for the rest soon" 1.27 5. MV HOSTAGES 1.30 6. SV SOUNDBITE (English) GOVERNOR OF SULU, ABDUSAKUR TAN, SAYING "This is a very welcome development in the province and we're very thankful for the support and cooperation of everybody, especially to the very able negotiation conducted by our emissaries" 1.44 7. MV HOSTAGES PREPARING TO LEAVE JOLO/HOSTAGES WITH BELONGINGS (4 SHOTS) 2.13 8. MV HOSTAGES HEADING TO AIRPORT 2.16 9. SV HOSTAGES WALKING TO PLANE TO TRAVEL TO MANILA 2.26 MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JULY 21, 2000) (REUTERS) 10. WS AIRPORT IN MANILA 2.33 11. SV MALAYSIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE PHILIPPINES, M.H. ARSHAD, WALKING/ MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 2.43 12. SV SOUNDBITE (English) ARSHAD SAYING (Reporters asking how much was the ransom) As far as the government of Malaysia is concerned we have, like the Philippines government, a no ransom policy, and as far as I know this policy was adhered to." 2.59 13. SLV PLANE CARRYING RELEASED MALAYSIAN HOSTAGES ARRIVING IN MANILA 3.10 14. MV CHIEF NEGOTIATOR ROBERT AVENTAJADO APPROACHING PLANE 3.17 15. MV RELEASED HOSTAGES GETTING OFF PLANE WITH SACKS OF CLOTHES (3 SHOTS) 3.43 16. MV HOSTAGES POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS 3.48 17. MV AVENTAJADO COUNTING THE HOSTAGES 3.51 18. WS GROUP 3.58 19. MV HOSTAGES GOING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE 4.09 20. SV SOUNDBITE (English) ARSHAD SAYING "Ladies and gentlemen, while there is reason to rejoice today it is as yet not the time to celebrate, celebrations will have to wait until all the Sipadan hostages, Malaysians and non-Malaysians alike, similarly regain their freedom. In view of this, Secretary Robert Aventajado still has his work cut out for him and as yet cannot rest on his laurels. However, going by his track record so far, I am confident that the day is not far when all the remaining hostages taken from Sipadan island resort are safely released to bring this crisis to its conclusion" 4.54 21. SV SOUNDBITE (English) ROBERT AVENTAJADO SAYING: "You know, we cannot dictate to the Abu Sayyaf, they decided to release four yesterday and maybe in the next few days they will release the three so we just have to go along with the result of the... 5.39 22. MV PEOPLE AT NEWS CONFERENCE 5.44 23. SV SOUNDBITE (English) RELEASED HOSTAGE FRANCIS MASANGKIN, SAYING "I'm proud to be released, and I'm so happy, and I want to meet my family as soon as possible, that's all." 6.02 24. WS WIDE SHOT NEWS CONFERENCE/HOSTAGES PREPARING TO LEAVE (3 SHOTS) 6.16 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th August 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: JOLO AND MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- Country: Philippines
- Reuters ID: LVA75NWE6QQSE2MERQ0X49I45P5M
- Story Text: Moslem rebels in the southern Philippines have released
four Malaysians out of a group of hostages kidnapped three
months ago from a Malaysian resort.
The four haggard men, carrying their belongings in
cloth sacks, were released at dawn after three months of
captivity.
They were brought to a military base on Jolo by intermediaries.
Later, the four posed for photographers before leaving Jolo.
Officials identified them as Lee Hok Liong and Vincent
Kwong, both workers at Malaysia's Sipadan island diving resort
from where they were taken hostage, and Malaysian Wildlife
Department officials Francis Masangkin and Balakrishnan Nair.
One of the released hostages, Vincent Kwong, said he
was "very happy".
Malaysian emissary, Datu Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin, said he
hoped more releases would follow.
"Very happy and we thank God that the release is done
and we hope for the rest soon," said Yong.
The governor of Sulu, Abdusakur Tan, said:
"This is a very welcome development in the province and
we're very thankful for the support and cooperation of
everybody, especially to the very able negotiation conducted
by our emissaries. "
There was no word on three remaining Malaysian hostages
from the 21 people abducted by the Abu Sayyaf rebels from
Sipadan on Easter Sunday, April 23, and brought to guerrilla
hideouts on Jolo.
The 21 comprised nine Malaysians, three Germans, two
South Africans, two Finns, two French nationals, two Filipinos
and a Lebanese. Two Malaysians and a German woman were
released earlier.
All seven remaining Malaysian captives had been expected
to be released on Wednesday but sources close to the
negotiating team said efforts were hampered by squabbling
among government emissaries and disputes among the rebels the
over sharing of a huge ransom.
The released hostages were greeted in Manila by chief
negotiator Robert Aventajado and the Malaysian ambassador,
M.H. Arshad.
Arshad denied that any ransom had been paid.
At a news conference, Arshad also said it was too early
to celebrate but that he was confident the crisis would soon
be brought to a close.
Negotiator Aventajado said he was hopeful the three
remaining Malaysians would soon be released, along with the
female hostages.
Hostage Francis Masangkin spoke for all the hostages
when he said he was happy to be free and that he had only one
thing on his mind - to be reunited with his family.
The rebels also hold 19 other captives, including a
German reporter and three French television journalists seized
earlier this month while covering the hostage drama.Thirteen
Filipino evangelists who went to the rebel bastion to pray for
the hostages, are also being held.
Two Filipina school teachers abducted in March were also
still in captivity.
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