June 8, 2001, The Philippines Star, U.S. Unfazed by Abu Beheading Threat, by Aurea Calica,

June 8, 2001, The Philippines Star, U.S. Unfazed by Abu Beheading Threat,  by Aurea Calica,

 

Manila, June 8, 2001 - (STAR) The United States government remained unfazed by a threat of Abu Sayyaf kidnappers to behead their American hostages and even demanded the unconditional release of the captives.

 

"Beheading or threatening to behead an innocent hostage is a cowardly act. All members of the brutal Abu Sayyaf group must be brought to justice, and we call for the safe, immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages," US Embassy public affairs chief Michael Anderson said.

 

"We deeply regret the loss of innocent lives in the current hostage situation," he added.

 

Anderson also confirmed reports that hostage negotiators from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have arrived in the Philippines to help resolve the crisis.

 

This developed as the military urged the bandits not to harm their hostages and to open lines for peaceful talks.

 

Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, made the appeal as the Abu Sayyaf’s spokesman threatened to begin executing their captives if the government would not initiate negotiations to resolve the 12-day-old hostage crisis.

 

Adan also disclosed that Abu Sabaya contacted the military by telephone, but refused to give further details about the conversation.

 

Adan’s appeal, made on national television, was viewed as a softening of the government’s stance against the Abu Sayyaf. President Arroyo had earlier vowed to crush the extremist guerrillas.

 

A government special negotiator has been vainly trying to contact the gunmen who are holding 13 hostages, three of them Americans snatched at the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan on May 27.

 

"Our government is appealing to you to give our negotiator more time. You have to talk to him in the soonest possible time," Adan said.

 

Troops fiercely battled with an estimated 60 to 100 Abu Sayyaf guerrillas who captured a hospital and a church in Lamitan over the weekend, but the rebels managed to break through a military-police cordon under cover of darkness, bringing with them the nine remaining Dos Palmas hostages, two nurses, a midwife and a school principal.

 

"It will not be just if you hurt them (hostages) or allow something wrong to happen to them," Adan said.

 

"You know there are (people) among your group who believe in Allah and you know that these innocent civilians or innocent victims should not be hurt because this would be a violation of your religious belief," he added.

 

Sabaya demanded that a Malaysian representative negotiate with them or they would start executing the Americans. He gave the government 72 hours to respond to their demand.

 

He named the prospective Malaysian emissary as Sarno Sairin, allegedly a former senator who helped in the negotiations last year for the release of several Malaysians abducted by his group from the Malaysian dive resort of Sipadan.

 

Sabaya demanded a halt in the military operations against his group as a condition for the negotiations for the release of the captives.

 

"If they (government) wanted to seriously talk to us, they should show it by removing the military. While the soldiers are here, there will be no talking," he said.

 

Sabaya has claimed that American hostage Martin Burnham was wounded in the back in the fighting.

 

He gave conflicting accounts on the nature of the injury, at first saying the American was hit in the back by bullets, then later changed it to shrapnel.

 

Malacañang rejected Sabaya’s proposal, saying William Castillo was the officially designated government negotiator with the Abu Sayyaf.

 

Castillo appealed to the bandits to contact him.

 

"I have been waiting for your call for some time and we have to clarify what we talked about and I am still waiting for your call," Castillo said on local radio.

 

For his part, Sairin said he would contact Manila about his offer, adding it has been sanctioned by his government.

 

However, Malaysian Ambassador to Manila Arshad Hussain denied Sairin’s claim: "Such delicate matter has to be handled at a government-to-government level."

 

"We cannot authorize any other negotiator or intermediator with the Abu Sayyaf, especially foreign citizens," Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said.

 

Nine of the 20 Dos Palmas hostages either escaped or were rescued by the pursuing soldiers, while two others — a cook and a security guard were executed.

 

Sabaya also claimed his men captured 13 soldiers, beheaded three who fought back, and freed the rest.

 

Government forces have been unsuccessfully trying to reestablish contact with he Abu Sayyaf since Monday’s daring escape.

 

Meanwhile, more troops were poured into Basilan to try to corner the Abu Sayyaf.

 

Local officials said the guerrillas have apparently reached their jungle enclaves in the mountains of Basilan.

 

Adan estimated the Abu Sayyaf strength at around 1,000 but only about 100 are involved in the current operations.

 

He also said two brigades of soldiers or a total of 2,000 men are now in Basilan.

 

He charged that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is set to resume peace talks with the government, provides support to the Abu Sayyaf.

 

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu warned that the peace negotiations on June 20 in Tripoli, Libya may be affected by Adan’s accusations that they were helping the Abu Sayyaf by providing ammunition and manpower to carry their wounded comrades.

 

"We are labeled rebels, but we see the importance of the negotiations," Kabalu said in a radio interview.

 

Kabalu said the Abu Sayyaf "shamed the name of Islam" by engaging in terrorist activities.

 

He also reiterated his group’s offer to help fight the Abu Sayyaf. "We have shown goodwill to the government by offering to help. It is not in our behavior to be traitors." Sayyaf escape due to communications lapse — Abadia

 

Former Armed Forces chief retired Gen. Lisandro Abadia traced the escape of the Abu Sayyaf from a military-police dragnet to lapses in communications among the troop’s field commanders in Basilan.

 

"I am inclined to believe there was a lapse in communications," Abadia said, adding that mobility and communications were two important elements in hot pursuit operations.

 

In a statement, Abadia also welcomed as a move in the right direction the relief of the Army’s operations chief in Basilan.

 

Col. Hermogenes Esperon took over command of the 103rd Brigade, replacing Col. Juvenal Narcise.

 

Abadia said the change of command, which came on the heels of the Abu Sayyaf escape with at least 13 hostages in tow, could enhance public support to the troops.

 

The military drew flak for alleged inefficiency that enabled the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas to slip through their cordon of the hospital-church compound in Lamitan.

 

"Describing our Army as a bunch of boy scouts is grossly unfair. The Army is led by top graduates of the best military schools in Asia. Our soldiers have the heart and the discipline to fight for the flag. They have been taught this every hour of their life in the military," Abadia stressed.

 

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Raul Roco batted for the grant of hazard pay to public school teachers in war-torn areas in Mindanao, particularly Sulu and Basilan.

 

Roco said the benefit would not even suffice to compensate teachers for the life that they have to face in areas of conflict.

 

"The regional officials must make an assessment on the situation of schools under their jurisdiction. I recommend that they award hazard pay to teachers who are assigned in war-torn areas," Roco said.

 

In another development, Philippine National Police chief Leandro Mendoza directed all unit commanders to intensify security in urban centers to protect vital installations from terrorist attacks. - With reports from Marichu Villanueva, Roel Pareño, Christina Mendez, Sheila Crisostomo, Paolo Romero, Jose Aravilla