President Gloria Arroyo rejected Thursday a demand by Muslim rebels for a former Malaysian senator to mediate in the Philippine hostage crisis, her spokesman said.
The Abu Sayyaf had warned in a radio broadcast earlier that they would behead three Americans among 13 hostages they are holding in southern Basilan island if their demand was not met in 72 hours.
Rigoberto Tiglao, spokesman for Arroyo, said the government had appointed William Castillo as the "officially designated government negotiator" and the Abu Sayyaf should negotiate with him.
"We have no authority to designate another negotiator," he said, adding "it will only confuse things if Malaysians or other foreign groups that would talk here."
"Do not involve innocents here in this fight which is opposed to the rules of Islam," Tigalo said over Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) minutes after Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sabaya called the same station to extend an earlier deadline for the authorities to meet the group's demand that ex-Malaysian senator Sairin Karno mediate in the crisis.
Abu Sabaya first telephoned the station on Wednesday threatening to kill one hostage, giving the government up to 12:00 pm (0400 GMT) on Thursday to consider it.
He again called the station on Thursday, extending the deadline.
"We might proceed within 72 hours, if the Malaysian is not involved, we will cut the heads of the whites," he said referring to husband-wife Christian missionaries Martin Burnham, 41, and his wife Gracia, 42, both residing in the Philippines originally from Kansas, and Californian Guillermo Sobrero.
The Americans and 17 Filipinos were abducted from a resort off the western island of Palawan on May 27 and taken to Basilan.
Nine hostages escaped, two were killed and the Abu Sayyaf seized four more captives from a hospital they occupied -- MANILA (AFP)
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