American Hostage Is Ill, Rebels Say
From Times Wire Reports
Muslim rebels said that an American hostage they are holding in the southern Philippines was coughing blood and urged the government to immediately negotiate his release.
A spokesman for the rebel group Abu Sayyaf gave the government 72 hours from 6 a.m. Monday local time to negotiate the release of Jeffrey Schilling of Oakland and a Philippine resort worker.
Acting Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita rejected negotiations.
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