Agusan del Sur kidnapper: 'I want to meet my arch rival'

"I want to meet the head of my rival clan, face to face." This was the latest addition to the string of demands made by Danilo 'Ondo' Perez who, along with his armed group, continues to hold 45 people hostage in the mountains of Agusan del Sur as of Saturday morning. Social Welfare and Development officer Josefina Bajade was quoted in a radio dzMM report as saying that Perez would only release his captives if he gets to personally meet Joel Tubay, the alleged leader of his rival clan. Family ties Authorities said that the Perez and Tubay families used to belong to the same civilian armed group tasked by the government to help fight rebels in the province. However, a land dispute triggered the current rift between the two clans.

Perez was supposed to be arrested last Wednesday for allegedly killing members of Tubay's family. Instead of surrendering to authorities, Perez evaded arrest and fled to a school in Sitio Maitum in San Martin village. A native of the town and supposedly a relative of some of the villagers, Perez was able to convince people, including children, to gather around for what he said would be a community meeting. After they were gathered, Perez and his men drew out their firearms and proceeded to take the villagers hostage. Initially, Perez's group demanded that the government disarm Tubay and his men. Perez also asked that the charges against himself be dropped, insisting that he did not take part in the massacre of Tubay's family. Palace to follow protocol Chief Superintendent Lino Calingasan told GMANews.TV on Saturday that the Perez group's demands are "all illegal" but said that he would leave it to the crisis management team to decide on whether to give in to the demands. Bajade was initially tasked to spearhead the local crisis committee that was working out the safe release of the remaining hostages. The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples has since been tapped to help in the negotiations. Malacañang Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said on Saturday that the Palace will not intervene with the committee in resolving the ongoing hostage crisis in Agusan del Sur. He said that the Palace will follow protocols already established for such situations, but added that the government is ready to take action if needed. Other hostages released Perez's group originally hostaged at least 75 people Thursday. Hours later, the armed group released 17 children and an old woman. On Friday morning, nine more hostages were set free. In his Balitanghali report, GMA News reporter Raffy Tima said that another hostage was released late Friday night. The hostage wanted to visit a relative who had just died. Another hostage was allowed to go home and send money to relatives, but returned to his abductors afterward. The television report also quoted Bajade as belying reports that the abductors have threatened to kill their hostages if their demands are not met. Perez had earlier given the government one week to meet his demands. Relief goods distributed Of the remaining 45 hostages, at least 40 are fathers who are supporting their families. The local government has started distributing relief goods to the relatives of the captives, particularly the families of the fathers who were taken hostage. The goods distributed by authorities to each of the 120 affected families included, among other things, 10 kilos of rice; six packs of noodles; six cans of sardines; dried fish; and chocolate drinks. - JHU/TJD, GMANews.TV