Roundup: Indonesia rejects ransom payment for seamen kidnapped in Philippines

Indonesia would not pay 50 million pesos (about 1 million U.S. dollars) in ransom to Philippine rebel group Abu Sayyaf that held 10 Indonesian crews captive as efforts to release those hostages were still underway.

"The government had never talked about ransom payment with them, not at all. What we are doing now is negotiating for humanity," Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Friday.

The 10 crews of an Indonesian tugboat and a small cargo vessel were taken away by Abu Sayyaf militants when they were sailing from Indonesia's South Kalimantan province to Batangas in southern Philippines late last month.

The vessels' owner received phone calls on March 28 from the kidnappers, who demanded a ransom of 50 million pesos that must be transferred to them no later than April 8.

The vice president also said the government would not let the vessel owners to pay the ransom as well.

On Wednesday, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu hinted allowance for the vessel owners to pay the ransom by themselves, saying the money must not be from the state coffers.

"If state pays the ramsom, it is not allowed. The state must not be under threat," the minister said before a cabinet meeting.

The statement was lambasted by a legislator, saying that ransom payment belittled the nation's sovereignty.

"If the government takes such an option, then what is the role of state and government?" Effendi Simbolon, a legislator from ruling Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said.

He added that there was no guarantee whether the rebel group would not do that again in the future against Indonesian seamen. "They are not seasonal criminals, they are terrorists," he claimed.

From the beginning, the Philippines government has rejected an Indonesian military operation to free the hostages.

Philippine said Indonesian troops cannot be deployed on its territory as the two nations were not bound in a military pact.

Indonesia has mobilized its elite forces to a Kalimantan city of Tarakan, which are close to the Philippine's territory.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said conditions of the Indonesian nationals taken hostage in Philippines were good as of Tuesday.

She said Indonesia has coordinated with Philippine authorities to monitor the safety of kidnapped Indonesians.

Indonesia freed 20 of its ship crews hijacked by Somali pirates in 2011 after paying ransoms along with a military action that killed four of the pirates. Endit