Government negotiators arrived under tight security in the southern Philippine Island of Jolo Saturday to secure the release of 28 captives from Muslim extremists and bring a four-month hostage crisis to an end.
"With the help of the Lord we would be able to finish recovery within the day," said chief government negotiator Roberto Aventajado who flew into Jolo on a jet escorted by three helicopter gunships.
With him were former Libyan ambassador to the Philippines Rajab Azzarouq, and special Libyan envoy Mohamed Ismail, highlighting the influential hand the longtime international pariah Tripoli has played in the latest negotiations.
Ismail, an official of a Muslim aid foundation run by Seif al-Islam, the son of the Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi, is said to have 25 million dollars to offer as "regional development money" in exchange for the hostages. Officially no ransom has been paid.
The negotiators were taken to the regional army headquarters on arrival in Jolo and were assured by local military commander Colonel Nur Askalani that there would be no troop movements that could frighten off the Abu Sayyaf and disrupt the hostage release.
Two other negotiators, known by their code names "Dragon" and "Scorpio" met early Saturday with guerrilla leaders before returning to brief Aventajado aide Guillerma Ruiz.
Aventajado said he had been promised by Abu Sayyaf guerrilla leader Ghalib "Commander Robot" Andang in a phone call on Friday that the releases would begin around midday (0400 GMT) Saturday.
"I'm postive barring any unforeseen circumstances such as weather," he said. "We are hoping, good luck to us."
The handover was expected to take place at Tagbak village, which houses the last military detachment before the Abu Sayaff stronghold.
However, despite clear weather on Jolo Island where the hostages are being held in a jungle hideout, the notoriously erratic weather in the area remained a possible obstacle.
Three Malaysians released by the Abu Sayyaf Friday were still on Jolo 24 hours later, Aventajado said, blaming the weather for the delay in getting them to Zamboanga, 150 kilometers (90 miles) away.
The Abu Sayyaf continues to hold two Finns, two Germans, five French nationals, two South Africans, a Franco-Lebanese woman and 16 Filipinos.
Nine of the Western hostages and one Filipino remain from the original group of 21 tourists and workers seized from the Malaysian resort island of Sipidan on April 23 and taken across the sea border to Jolo.
Western ambassadors were scheduled to arrive in Zamboanga on a flight from Manila around 1:00 p.m. to receive their nationals and many would later be flown to Libya.
In the first official statement from Tripoli on efforts to free the hostages, a foreign ministry spokesman Hasuna al-Shaush said all captives would be freed by Sunday.
He blamed a string of delays in settling the crisis this week on "technical issues" denying reports here that requests by Abu Sayyaf leaders for political asylum in Libya had been one reason for the delay.
Philippine Defense Secretary Orly Mercado was quoted Saturday as saying if passage to Libya was the price of freeing the hostages then the guerrilla leaders should be allowed to leave.
"We can ask for them back later. It may take time, it may happen fast, but we'll get them back for sure," he told the Philippine Star -- JOLO, Philippines (AFP)
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