The Philippine government has said it has resumed contact with separatist Islamicgunmen who are holding 21 hostages on a remote island 600 miles south of Manila. The group was abducted last Sunday from a resort on the nearby coast of Malaysia. It is reported the hostages are all weak and in need of water and food. But, the government has said that the rebels have not threatened to kill their captives. Yesterday, it was reported the rebels had threatened to behead the foreign hostages if the government did not concede a number of demands.
The reasons behind the abduction are not clear. Speaking at a news conference, the Philippine Defence Secretary, Orlando Mercado, gave no specifics on the progress of negotiations but reaffirmed the government's policy not to pay ransom to kidnappers. The hostages include 10 Malaysians, three Germans, two French nationals, two South Africans, two Finns, one Lebanese and a Filipina. It is understood that the French embassy in Manila, along with those of Germany and Finland, are talking to Philippine authorities on how to get food and medicine to the captives.
