Government negotiators facilitating the release of three volunteers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) being held captive by Abu Sayyaf Group in the hinterlands of Sulu are “hoping for the best, preparing for the worst” as their talks to free the hostages reached another stalemate amid the deadline set by the bandits for them to comply before 2 p.m. today.

In a press conference at Camp Crame, Quezon City, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Ronaldo V. Puno also criticized the Abu Sayyaf leadership under Albader Parad for their insincerity in dealing with the government negotiators after the bandits changed their condition for the release of the three ICRC hostages for the third time since they were abducted last Jan. 15.

As of yesterday afternoon, Puno said that Parad’s group demanded that the Philippine Marine contingent already confined to at least nine different military bases in Sulu province should vacate those areas and should only be confined in two small places in Jolo.

The repositioning of the Marine troops should be completed in one and a half days, beginning last Sunday afternoon, Puno said, referring to Parad’s demand.

Also, Parad’s group rescheduled the deadline for the government to comply with their new demand from 5 o’clock this morning to 2 o ‘clock in the afternoon.

“So frankly we are very disheartened by these new demands, which were given late last night and which clearly has no physical possibility of being complied with. These are new demands, this is the third set of demands,” the DILG chief lamented.

The Abu Sayyaf demanded last March 25 for a “pull back” of military troops from their positions. The government acceded, ordering the Marine soldiers to return to their bases.

Instead of releasing one of the three ICRC hostages, the Abu Sayyaf gave another set of demands four days later, this time asking authorities to reposition the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the police auxiliary forces from the surrounding areas of Mt. Tukay. The government also gave in to their demand by repositioning the troops to the Maimbung Highway area from Mt. Tukay.

Parad also asked the government negotiators to confine the police, military and civilian emergency forces to three areas of Duhul Simiento and Tagbak in Indanan town; and Santol in Patikul which the authorities rejected.

If the government negotiators grant the Abu Sayyaf’s demand, Puno claimed that a majority of the areas of Sulu will be under severe threat from criminal and terrorist elements. “And you can see that it is one small corner in the entire province of Sulu where basically: The troops will be subject to severe threat; Jolo itself will be in threat; no other place in the province will be immune from any threat,” he said.

Based on a briefing delivered by Senior Supt. Winnie Quidato of the PNP Intelligence Group, the Marines are presently confined to at least nine positions in Sulu and these include Taglibi, Maglibak, Quezon Beach and Duhulsa in Patikul; Bud Bayog in Talipao; Igayo and Salipay in Parang; and Batuhawa sa patatal and Tandu Patang in Maimbung.

At least 100 civilian volunteer organizations are stationed in Kampitita, also in Maimbung.

The DILG chief said that the demand of the Abu Sayyaf for a pull out of the Marine troops from the bases is just like asking the entire PNP force to vacate Camp Crame premises in 24 hours.

“It is physically impossible. So I don’t know how they can be serious if they are saying that we should evacuate all of these areas within 24 hours and then schedule a beheading at 2 p.m,” he added.