PHILIPPINES: MOSLEM REBELS ON ISLAND OF JOLO RELEASE ONE FILIPINA HOSTAGE AS NEGOTIATIONS TO RELEASE REMAINING MOSTLY FOREIGN HOSTAGES CONTINUES
Record ID:
647155
PHILIPPINES: MOSLEM REBELS ON ISLAND OF JOLO RELEASE ONE FILIPINA HOSTAGE AS NEGOTIATIONS TO RELEASE REMAINING MOSTLY FOREIGN HOSTAGES CONTINUES
- Title: PHILIPPINES: MOSLEM REBELS ON ISLAND OF JOLO RELEASE ONE FILIPINA HOSTAGE AS NEGOTIATIONS TO RELEASE REMAINING MOSTLY FOREIGN HOSTAGES CONTINUES
- Date: 16th August 2000
- Summary: JOLO, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 16, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF FILIPINA HOSTAGE LUCRECIA DIABLO HUGGING CHIEF NEGOTIATOR ROBERT AVENTAJADO 0.12 2. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) FILIPINA HOSTAGE LUCRECIA DIABLO SAYING: "This is a dream... I thought I was still dreaming." 0.28 3. SCU: FORMER LIBYAN AMBASSADOR RAJAB AZZAROUQ LISTENING 0.32 4. SV: DIABLO WALKING TO VAN WITH AVENTAJADO 0.40 ZAMBOANGA CITY, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 16, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. MV: DIABLO WITH AVENTAJADO AND AZZAROUQ LEAVING PLANE 0.58 6. SV: DIABLO WAVING AS SHE WALKS TO WAITING MEDIA, ALL THREE SIT FOR NEWS CONFERENCE 1.18 7. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF NEGOTIATOR ROBERT AVENTAJADO SAYING: "We expect to see releases of the other hostages starting tomorrow. Actually it was Ambassador Azzarouq who went in with Dragon because I couldn't go in because there are certain security requirements if I go in." 1.36 8. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER LIBYAN AMBASSADOR RAJAB AZZAROUQ SAYING:"We are working on it. (On the release of western hostages)" 1.47 9. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) AVENTAJADO SAYING:"We are working on having them released all at the same time, we are working on it, so please pray that we will be successful and we are also working that they will be released all together, tomorrow, yes" 2.05 10. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DABLO SAYING: "I didn't learn about my release and it just came out this afternoon. And I'm so scared and nervous because I'm alone ... About the release, I don't know about it. And even if I'm released I'm so scared also because I'm the only woman who was going on the cars. (Did they harm you?) no answer (When was the last time you saw the European hostages?) I am with the European group all the time. (What did they tell you before they separated from you?) They said we'll pray for you because me, I'm nervous." 2.54 11. WS: NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 2.58 JOLO, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 16, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 12. VARIOUS OF MILITARY CAMP IN TAGBUK WHERE RELEASED HOSTAGES ARE EXPECTED TO BE BROUGHT (3 SHOTS) 3.15 13. VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS IN AREA (2 SHOTS) 3.28 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 31st August 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: JOLO AND ZAMBOANGA CITY, PHILIPPINES
- Country: Philippines
- Reuters ID: LVA8V34MVGCVY53ACSPMB6N3BBYL
- Story Text: Moslem rebels have released one Filipina hostage as
negotiators work out last-minute hitches for the release of
the remaining hostages, mostly foreigners, who have been held
in a jungle in southern Philippines since April.
Moslem rebels on Wednesday (August 16) freed a Filipina
hostage they kidnapped almost four months ago along with 20
others from a Malaysian diving resort.
Soaked from pouring rain and sobbing, 35-year-old Lucrecia
Dablo stumbled into the arms of chief hostage negotiator
Robert Aventajado after she was driven by intermediaries to a
military camp on the edge of rebel-held territory on southern
Jolo island.
"This is a dream...it's a dream," she said before being
overcome with emotion.
She was later taken to the house of the provincial
governor on Jolo, 960 km (600 miles) south of Manila and given
a meal before being flown out to the nearby city of Zamboanga.
Aventajado said the others, as well as a three-member
French television crew abducted last month, will be freed by
the weekend. "We expect to see releases of the other hostages
starting tomorrow. (Thursday)."
Earlier, Aventajado and Rajab Azzarouq, Libya's former
ambassador to the Philippines who is helping Manila in the
talks with the rebels, went to Jolo to iron out last-minute
hitches prior to the expected release.
Aventajado stayed in the military camp in the village of
Tagbak, some five km (three miles) up in the hills from the
main Jolo town, but Azzarouq went into the interior and talked
for some four hours with the rebel leaders.
Shortly after he returned, Dablo was brought into Tagbak.
During the news conference, Dablo spoke about her 115-day
ordeal. "I am always feeling that tomorrow I wake up in the
morning, not in the camp but outside already. Every day, every
day ... I didn't know of my release until this afternoon. I am
so scared...I am nervous because I am alone. Even if I'm
released, I am so scared also because I am the only woman to
go with some of the guards."
She said the other hostages sensed her fear and told her
they would pray for her.
"I am with the European group all the time... They said
we'll pray for you because me, I'm nervous."
Dablo, a cook at Malaysia's Sipadan island resort, is the
eighth person to be released from the 21 kidnapped by the Abu
Sayyaf guerrillas on April 23 from the resort.
During the day, an intermediary returned to the military
camp from the rebel lair along with an Abu Sayyaf soldier and
then went back.
The Abu Sayyaf man, dressed in a plain shirt and
camouflage fatigues and apparently unarmed, told reporters
they had come to collect ransom and would free some hostages
by the evening.
The hostages still in custody are three Malaysians, one
Filipino and nine tourists -- two Germans, three French
including a Lebanese-born woman given French citizenship while
in custody, two Finns and two South Africans.
Besides Dablo, six Malaysians and a German woman have been
released.
The rebels have also detained a three-member French
television crew who were reporting on the crisis.
Newspapers have said moves to end the crisis began in
earnest early this month after Libya agreed to pay 25 million
U.S. dollars (USD) in ransom.
Azzarouq has denied the reports but has said Libya will
fund social projects in the impoverished southern Philippines
which will provide employment.
But police intelligence sources on Jolo said some 246
million pesos (5.47 million usd) had already been distributed
to the rebels for the released hostages.
A Libyan chartered plane is in Manila and officials have
said it will be used to take the released hostages to Tripoli
where they will be handed over to their respective
governments.
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