Abu Sayyaf kin arrested

U.S. troops are conducting joint war games in Basilan

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- The tables may be turning on Abu Sayyaf guerrillas who have been holding hostage two Americans and a Filipino nurse for about nine months.

Mayor Sakib Salajin of Maluso town, southwest of the Abu Sayyaf stronghold of Basilan in the southern Philippines, told reporters Wednesday that eight relatives of Abu Sayyaf members have been arrested.

Salajin said the arrest would create pressure for the release of American couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipino nurse Ediborah Yap from Abu Sayyaf hands.

"We are slowly taking the wives and family of Abu Sayyaf leaders so we would have bargaining power," Salajin said.

"If we don't take them, they (Abu Sayyaf) will grow stronger."

Salajin added that the Abu Sayyaf was growing weaker since civilian supporters were "no longer bringing food to them."

Captain Gerado Bayabos of the Basilan police belied reports that those arrested were held hostage by the mayor.

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"They were arrested Friday for a murder in Lantawan town last year," Bayabos told CNN, but did not confirm the relationship of those arrested to Abu Sayyaf members.

"The mayor was present during the arrest," Bayabos said.

"The four men are now in the provincial jail but the identity of the four women is still being verified."

Bayabos added that "there is nothing political about the arrests" and that they were pursuing a "legal challenge" to the Abu Sayyaf.

The Philippine government has been unable to subdue the Abu Sayyaf, which grew notorious for kidnapping scores of Western and Asian hostages for ransom in the past two years, beheading some of them.

Basilan congressman Abdulgani Salapuddin told CNN that Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatist rebels may be aiding the Abu Sayyaf, saying an alliance exists "on a personal, commander-to-commander basis."

"The MILF has camps in the towns of Tuburan, Tipo-Tipo, and Sumisip," Salapuddin said.

Philippine and U.S. troops are holding war games for counter-terrorist training in Basilan, some 900 kilometers (560 miles) south of Manila.

The MILF has warned war games troops not to enter rebel territory, leading military officials to speculate that the Abu Sayyaf hostages may at times be in the MILF's custody.

The Abu Sayyaf will be seen as live targets in the war games during a chance encounter, Philippine and U.S. officials have said.

Surrender

More than 40 supposed members of the MILF, the country's largest Muslim separatist group, surrendered themselves and their arms to authorities Tuesday.

But MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu has denied that those who surrendered belong to his group.

Salapuddin, a former rebel leader, denied allegations that those who surrendered were his followers.

"These are young men who surrendered. I am already 50. They were kids when I was still up in the hills," Salapuddin told CNN.

"I think the MILF just hates to accept the truth."

The government is set to resume peace talks with the MILF in Malaysia later this month, even as it has accused the group of violating a cease fire deal reached in August.

The government blamed the MILF for two explosions Monday in Sultan Kudarat, about 950 kilometers (590 miles) southeast of Manila, and said the rebels were trying to regain camps overrun in 2000, ahead of scheduled peace talks.

The MILF says the government is angling to extend war games with U.S. troops by portraying them as a terrorist group.