9 more hostages released in S. Philippines
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Nine more hostages kidnapped by a group of disgruntled former government militia in the province of Agusan del Sur has been released Friday afternoon, local media reported.
Philippine TV network ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) reported that the nine hostages begged their kidnappers to release them as they needed to enroll their children to their schools. They were released around 1 p.m.
Friday morning, after negotiations with government representatives, the group of one Ondo Perez has decided to release 3 of the 57 people they kidnapped Thursday.
A total of 12 people have been released. Government officials are still negotiating with Perez to release the remaining 45 captives.
Perez, a former militiaman, was to be arrested Thursday in connection with murder of the son and relatives of his rival Jun Tubay. Perez refused to surrender and instead he and his group took hostage of 75 peopleincluding school children - in the village of Sitio Maitum in Agusan del Sur.
Negotiations resulted in the release of 18 others, including 17 school children.
In an interview Friday with ANC, Josefina Bahadi, Agusan del Sur social welfare officer and acting chief negotiator for the government said that Perez group have aired several demands as precondition to the release of the hostages.
Bahadi said that Perez is asking for justice, claiming that Tubay murdered some of his relatives. Perez also demanded the dropping of murder charges against him. He gave the authorities one week to heed his demands.
The ANC reported that the remaining 45 hostages are being held in a hilly site about two kilometers north of the Sitio Maitum.
