June 13, 2001, The Philippine Star, Sabaya claims they beheaded American, by Paolo Romero,

A claim by Abu Sayyaf bandits yesterday that they had beheaded one of their three American hostages drew public outrage but failed to stop a military offensive in Basilan.

The military doubted the allegation by bandit spokesman Abu Sabaya that they had executed Guillermo Sobero, a Californian of Peruvian descent, as an Independence Day gift to the government.

As the military moved to verify Sabaya's claim, President Arroyo vowed that the "gang of butchers and murderers" would be "decimated."

Sabaya's announcement, made over a Mindanao-based radio network, discouraged Malaysian businessman Yusuf Hamdan from acting as special mediator between the Philippine government and the Abu Sayyaf terrorists as demanded by Sabaya.

The United States Embassy and the Vatican led international condemnation of the alleged beheading of Sobero who was snatched on May 27, along with two other Americans and 17 Filipinos, during a dawn raid on the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan by about two dozen Abu Sayyaf gunmen.

Nine of the hostages either escaped or were rescued by pursuing troopers, while two of the Filipinos were executed, one of them decapitated.

But the bandits snatched 15 more plantation workers Monday and

Sabaya even twitted the Philippine and American governments for demanding the unconditional release of the captives.

"We have released unconditionally one American, our amigo Guillermo, but we released him without a head," Sabaya said, adding the execution was videotaped and footage would be released.

He has also threatened to do the same to the two other Americans, missionaries Martin Burnham and his wife Gracia from Wichita, Kansas.

Sabaya taunted the President for ordering an all-out war to crush his group. "Tell Gloria to hurry up and solve this with her rescue operation because you might not have any hostages left."

He also threatened to kill Muslim religious leaders called ulamas for criticizing his group by saying their mass abductions and execution of hostages violated the teachings of Islam.

"They should be the first in fighting those that oppress us," Sabaya said. "Now, they are working together with the government. One day, we'll behead the ulamas, too. If they can escape us, they will not be able to escape Allah."

Sabaya said the beheading of Sobero was done near Tuburan town in Basilan, and told the military to look for the American's head.

He said he carried out the execution because they felt that the government was insincere in pursuing peaceful negotiations for the release of the hostages.

"We have chopped off his head because we... can see that the government wants to outsmart us with these negotiations. What are we, stupid?" Sabaya said. "So we've cut off negotiations. We will call again when we've beheaded another to let them know."

Sobero's younger brother, Alberto, said officials told him the reported execution was unverified.

"I'm still hoping this is not true," he said. "I ask the Philippine government to exhaust all efforts and continue a dialogue to get my brother back, and all the hostages."

Alberto added that only the eldest of his brother’s four children knew about the kidnapping.

Mrs. Arroyo, who has raised a P100-million bounty for the arrest of the Abu Sayyaf leaders and members, said the Muslim extremist group "tramples on the values of all humanity."

"The reported murder of Mr. Sobero strengthens our resolve to decimate once and for all this cold-blooded bandit group. They did this dastardly act to prove that they are not kids, making empty threats, underlining the ghoulishness and viciousness of the Abu Sayyaf," the President said.

Addressing the Independence Day celebration at the Luneta, Mrs. Arroyo told the people the military was still verifying the report.

"I am praying that this news would turn out to be false. I am still hoping that the Abu Sayyaf's fear of the wrath of God will prevail," Mrs. Arroyo said.

She added that if the execution was, indeed, carried out, it merely confirmed that the Abu Sayyaf is a "gang of butchers and murderers who have no qualms about killing for cash."

Mrs. Arroyo said the people were angry over the bandits' wanton disregard for the laws of Christianity and of Islam.

"Let not these bandits think that the government's resolve is wavering," the Chief Executive said.

She cut short her attendance at the commemorative rites to meet with her Cabinet.

The threat to "decimate" the Abu Sayyaf was the toughest line ever made by Mrs. Arroyo about the recurrent hostage crisis in Mindanao.

Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said the Cabinet agreed to continue the military assault on the Abu Sayyaf.

"The operations are continuing. We can’t say anything further until we find out if the claim is true," Tiglao said of the alleged execution.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva said it was just "a matter of time" before the troops crush the Abu Sayyaf.

For his part, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said the troops will be able to verify Sabaya’s claim "sooner than later."

As of presstime, however, there was still no word from the ground forces deployed to look for Sobero's remains.

Army Col. Hermogenes Esperon, commander of the military contingent in Basilan, stayed in Tuburan to personally supervise and monitor the search and recovery operations.

Basilan police provincial director Superintendent Akmadul Pangambayan said his men also helped look for Sobero's body.

Basilan Gov. Wahab Akbar has dispatched local villagers to assist in the search.

AFP calls Sabaya "a beast"

Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), branded Sabaya "a beast" even as he underscored that the information on Sobero has yet to be verified.

"We have to verify this information and confirm it, because you know, in the past, Sabaya has said things like this and didn't mean it," Adan said.

He was apparently referring to last year's kidnapping of American Jeffrey Schilling whom they held captive in Jolo, Sulu for about eight months. Sabaya threatened to kill Schilling who was eventually rescued by soldiers last April 12.

Sabaya said they did not kill Schilling because the American was a Muslim convert. Schilling is married to Ivy Osani, a cousin of Sabaya.

"This gives us a picture of this deranged man, claiming to be fighting for his homeland, and the reality is he is a beast trying to be a local folk hero," Adan said.

"The government will definitely take more intensified steps to pursue him, bring him to justice and destroy his group," he added.

He said six battalions are scouring some 1,300 square kilometers on the eastern portion of the island, adding that the attack on a plantation on the western side might have been a diversionary tactic.

He also revealed that 1,000 to 1,200 additional troops were deployed to Basilan yesterday.

"We are getting closer and closer," Adan said.

The Catholic Church hierarchy in Isabela, capital town of Basilan, urged the military to work for competence in all areas of military operations--from the war room to the battlefront and vice versa.

"The Abu Sayyaf's evil presence wrought colossal destruction to life and property," the Church said in a statement. It described the Abu Sayyaf as "barbaric, blood-thirsty bandits and terrorists."

Gun-toting priest Fr. Cirilo Nacorda, himself a former Abu Sayyaf hostage, urged Basilan residents to stock up on firearms instead of spending their money on home appliances.

Nacorda said he favors killing all members of the Abu Sayyaf which has vowed to destroy all symbols of Christianity in the island.

Sabaya's group tortured last year Fr. Roel Gallardo who was kidnapped along with more than 50 school children and teachers from two schools in Lamitan.

Gallardo was trussed up, his fingernails plucked out, and finished off with a bullet to the head.

US Embassy condemns reported beheading

"The murder of an innocent person is a cowardly act. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this reported action," the US Embassy said in a statement.

The Embassy said their government holds the Abu Sayyaf responsible for the safety and welfare of the hostages.

Papal Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Franco said they also share the indignation over the reported beheading of Sobero.

"We are sincerely confident that you will overcome the crisis that you are confronted with, and we are certainly hopeful of your eventual success," he said during a Vin d' Honneur at Malacañang.

US Embassy charge d' affaires Michael Malinowski said Sabaya has gone mad.

"It's horrible," he said.

Press Secretary Noel Cabrera deplored that the Abu Sayyaf was virtually holding hostage the entire country and its economy.

Malaysian go-between gets cold feet

Malaysian businessman Yusuf Hamdan was reportedly shocked upon hearing that Sobero had been executed by the Abu Sayyaf.

Yusuf said they now fear for their own safety.

Sabaya earlier demanded that the Arroyo government designate Hamdan and compatriot former Sen. Sairin Karno as special mediators in the hostage crisis.

"I am very upset when I heard the news. I have asked the Radio Mindanao Network to relay a message to the Abu Sayyaf group to call me to confirm the news," Hamdan said.

"How can we mediate when you (Abu Sayyaf) do not give us a chance to talk. Why should we go if they do not honor their words," he added.

Yusuf said on Monday he has spoken to Abu Sabaya by mobile phone and told him not to carry out his threat to behead the three Americans.

"I told him it is an inhuman act," Yusuf said, adding he reminded Sabaya it is against Islam to kill an innocent man.

"Next time, they will chop off our heads," he said.

Yusuf and Sairin have said earlier they were willing to act as intermediaries in resolving the hostage crisis in Basilan if their government allows them to do so.

Sairin said he wanted first a safety guarantee from Manila.

Meanwhile, two more suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits were reported killed by pursuing soldiers during an encounter in Tipo-Tipo town in Basilan late Monday afternoon.

This brought to five the fatalities dealt by the troops on the Abu Sayyaf terrorists, self-styled freedom fighters for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao, since sporadic fighting begun last week.

On the other hand, the military has suffered 16 killed and 52 wounded. -- With Roel Pareño, Aurea Calica, Sandy Araneta