June 7, 2001, The Philippine Star, GMA Says No to Basilan Martial Law, by Marichu Villanueva,

Manila, June 7, 2001 - (STAR) President Arroyo rejected yesterday a proposal to impose martial law in Basilan and Sulu to enable the government to effectively address the Abu Sayyaf menace.

The President’s top security advisers said national security and current political developments do not warrant the declaration of martial law or a state of emergency in the two provinces considered as strongholds of the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group.

Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said the proposals would remain an option for Mrs. Arroyo, but added that at present, there is no need to use that option.

The Cabinet Cluster E on defense and national security, which includes Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes and National Security Adviser Roilo Golez, thumbed down suggestions to place Basilan and Sulu under military rule to enable the government to finally stamp out the mass kidnapping for ransom activities of the Abu Sayyaf.

Outgoing Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the President need not declare martial law to deal with the bandits, adding that the Chief Executive has enough powers to tackle the problem.

"It is in the nature of lawless violence which the military and the police can effectively eliminate," Belmonte said.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez shared Belmonte’s views on the matter.

"We believe that declaration of martial law will not help the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Basilan. Whatever can be done could be done without the need for declaration of martial law," he said.

Tiglao indicated that so far, regular military operations will suffice in combating the bandits currently holding an estimated 50 hostages in Basilan.

Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan first broached the idea of imposing martial law in Basilan as endorsed by Gov. Wahab Akbar.

Golez said placing Basilan and Sulu under martial law or a state of emergency would be an overkill for a local peace and order problem.

"It appears that many of us (in the Cabinet) believe there is no need for it, and we can respond to the problem on Abu Sayyaf without having to declare martial law or state of emergency," Golez said.

He reiterated that under the Constitution, only Congress can declare martial law or a state of emergency.

Mrs. Arroyo has said she would consult with local government officials and civilian leaders in Basilan regarding the proposal.

Government forces have been conducting an all-out offensive against Abu Sayyaf bandits who kidnapped 17 guests and three workers of upscale Dos Palmas resort in Palawan on May 27, then took the hostages by boat across a 400-nautical mile sea expanse to Basilan.

The terrorists also swooped down last weekend on a hospital and a church in Lamitan town in the island province where they held some 200 people as human shields against pursuing soldiers and policemen, before making a daring escape under cover of darkness toward dense jungles, with undetermined number of hostages in tow.

Nine of the captives who were seized in Dos Palmas have been rescued, leaving 11, three of them Americans, still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf.

Soldiers and policemen battled the extremists who established defense positions at the St. Peter’s church in Lamitan over the weekend.

However, the bandits gave their pursuers the slip and fled toward the mountains beyond Tuburan town.

The President has asked the Abu Sayyaf to release their hostages and turn themselves in without any conditions. Sabaya twits government

The bandits’ spokesman twitted the government for demanding their unconditional surrender.

"What are they (government), crazy?" Abu Sabaya said.

"If you think you can follow us into the mountains and finish us off, you’re wrong," he said in a radio interview through his satellite cellular phone stolen from a hostage during a kidnap spree last year.

He also said they were able to escape in Lamitan because there simply was no military cordon of the church, contrary to the claim by the military ground commanders.

"When we left the hospital, there was no military cordon. Believe me, if there had been one, we couldn’t have escaped," Sabaya added.

At the same time, Sabaya asserted that they captured 13 soldiers, beheaded three who fought back and freed the rest.

On the other hand, the military, which has reported 15 soldiers killed and 51 wounded in the fighting which began Friday, did not comment on Sabaya’s claim.

Sabaya also said one of their three American hostages, missionary Martin Burnham, was wounded in the fighting, but gave conflicting versions about the cause of the injury.

The Agence France Presse (AFP) quoted the bandit as saying the 41-year-old American suffered shrapnel wounds in the back due to a rifle grenade that exploded near him.

On the other hand, Associated Press (AP) quoted him as saying Burnham sustained "several gunshot wounds in the back" as soldiers fired on the fleeing terrorists and their hostages.

Sabaya was evasive when pressed by the radio announcer for more details on Burnham’s wounds.

The two other American hostages were Burnham’s wife Gracia and Guillermo Sobero, from Corona, California.

Justifying their raid on the church and hospital in Lamitan, Sabaya said the hostages asked for soft drinks "so we went into town and gave them Coke. If we had wanted to kill all of them, we could have easily killed them all," he said.

He vowed that the hostages would not be harmed, adding they were being treated well.

Sabaya said some nurses they seized from Lamitan were taking care of the wounded.

He also belied earlier reports that Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani had been killed. "Khadaffy is alive and I am alive," Sabaya said.

Sabaya also said they refused to negotiate with government emissary William Castillo if their demands for the pullout of the troops were not met.

Reacting to Sabaya’s allegations, Tiglao said the Abu Sayyaf leader’s claims have yet to be verified.

"That’s his announcement on radio, but don’t take all Sabaya’s announcements at face value. He is a very skilled propagandist and that’s the reason why we’re requesting radio stations to help us out in deflecting his propaganda thrusts," Tiglao told reporters.

Meanwhile, Sen. Robert Barbers said the public should not blame the military and the police for the escape of the Abu Sayyaf from a government siege in Lamitan.

Barbers, a former Manila police colonel, said chastising the troops and the police would only cause demoralization in the ranks.

"On the contrary, the police and military forces in Basilan should be lauded for the sacrifices they have made in the massive operation to rescue the remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf," the senator said.— With reports from Jaime Laude, Jess Diaz, Delon Porcalla, Roel Pareño, Efren Danao, Paolo Romero, Sandy Araneta, Perseus Echeminada