Agusan hostage crisis: 12-year-old boy freed

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) - Armed tribesmen released a sick 12-year-old boy, one of 13 people held hostage in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, officials said on Monday.
ABS-CBN News CARAGA reported that Marvin Jay Corvera, who was nursing a fever, was released late Monday. With the release of the boy, 12 people, including a 10-year old, remained with the hostage-takers.
Maj. Eugene Osias, spokesperson of the crisis management committee, said that Corvera was freed by the group of Reggie "Ken-ken" Perez because he was ill.
Corvera was freed at around 7 pm.
Negotiations are still ongoing to help free the hostages, with priority being placed on the remaining child.
Corvera is currently undergoing treatment and stress debriefing, and is currently at the house of Prosperidad mayor Alvin Magdamit.
Magdamit said the five gunmen also allowed one of the remaining hostages to talk to him by phone, and that the captive said the remaining dozen were alive.
Earlier on Monday, the local crisis management committee (CMC) assigned a new negotiator to talk to members of the Perez group which was still holding 13 people hostage in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.
Prosperidad Mayor Albin Magdamit said the group's leader, Ondo Perez, failed to convince his people to surrender and release the hostages. He said the new negotiator is the father of one of the hostage-takers.
He said he also ordered Perez be returned to jail after the talks went sour.
"We are expecting him to negotiate pero iba yung nangyari. Ginawan namin ng paraan for him to have temporary custody para makipag-usap sa hostage taker pero di umubra, pinabalik na lang namin sa bilanguan," he said.
Magdamit confirmed communication with the kidnap group is difficult because of their location.
He said Philippine National Police chief Raul Bacalzo has encouraged them to continue negotiating with the kidnappers and exhaust peaceful ways to resolve the situation.
Magdamit, however, was unsure when the crisis will end.
"Mahirap isagot. I can't give timeline, di natin alam isip ng hostage-taker. We are embarking on this second negotiator para may development sa negotiation," he said.
A group of tribal gunmen seized 13 teachers and two elementary students after a graduation ceremony in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur Friday afternoon. Two teachers were later temporarily released.
The group is demanding the release of Ondo Perez and 3 other tribesmen, who are being held at the Agusan del Sur provincial jail on charges of kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms in connection with the December 2009 hostage-taking of 47 villagers.