October 12, 2000, The Philippine Star, Robot’ sends surrender feelers,

October 12, 2000, The Philippine Star,  Robot’ sends surrender feelers, 

Abu Sayyaf leader Ghalib Andang, alias Commander Robot, wants to yield, the military said yesterday. Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Generoso Senga said Andang, whose group is believed to be holding hostage three Malaysians and a Filipino, has sent surrender feelers. 

This developed as the government called on Abu Sayyaf extremist guerrillas holding five hostages to surrender immediately without any conditions, warning that the military offensive will not stop until the terrorist group is destroyed. 

There have been unconfirmed reports that Andang, leader of a large Abu Sayyaf group that also snatched 21 tourists and workers from the Malaysian island resort of Sipadan on April 23, plans to seek amnesty from the government before turning himself in. 

Maj. Gen. Narciso Abaya, commander of Task Force Trident carrying out the assault, also urged the Abu Sayyaf gunmen to lay down their arms to avoid further bloodshed. "They should surrender, but they should not impose any conditions because no condition will be accepted," Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said. "We are trying to persuade the Abu Sayyaf group to surrender peacefully. Of course, they will undergo due process of law. But at least, they will have the chance to live and lead new lives," Abaya said. 

So far, 23 Abu Sayyaf fighters including one of their leaders have given themselves up to the authorities in Jolo, Sulu. The surrenderees were believed part of Andang’s force. 

The Abu Sayyaf bandits were still holding three Malaysians, an American and a Filipino. Five Abu Sayyaf gunmen who surrendered earlier said their comrades were tired and hungry and were contemplating surrender. 

The surrenderees also said they were already low on ammunition. Senga said the offensive will continue despite the series of surrenders. "Many of them (Abu Sayyaf) are very tired, afraid and hungry and suffering from low morale. They are feeling the pressure, but what hits them most is the psychological pressure knowing that the military will soon catch up with them," Senga said. 

Military officials said some Abu fighters have also hidden their weapons and merged with the mainstream of society to escape the military assault. Government forces clashed three times with small bands of Abu Sayyaf  gunmen on Monday in Talipao town, but there were no reports of casualties on either side. 

On Tuesday, the troops encountered Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Barangay Lumapid, also in Talipao. The 30-minute fight came after 16 Abu Sayyaf rebels surrendered to the military. The military was also trying to verify reports that some of the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas have fled to nearby islands with their captives. 

Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan said the fighting has forced some 82,000 people out of their homes in the mountains and jungles of the island province due to regular bombing runs and shelling on suspected Abu Sayyaf positions. 

Military officials also said the troops have killed 129 guerrillas and captured 53 others since the offensive was launched Sept. 16. On the other hand, the government forces suffered five soldiers and three militiamen killed, and 16 troops wounded. 

Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes has admitted the military committed a blunder by predicting the assault would be completed within three days to one week. Reyes said they expected the Abu Sayyaf, who style themselves as freedom fighters struggling for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao, will put up a fierce resistance, and not flee to evade the attacking soldiers. 

"There will be no amnesty for criminals, not even livelihood projects for them, if they refuse to give up," Abaya said. He said the only condition by the government is that if they surrender, they should also yield their  firearms. 

Meanwhile, Senga said the military will leave the decision to Malacañang whether to allow Malaysian emissaries to enter Sulu to negotiate for the release of the three Malaysian hostages seized last month from the island resort of Pandanan in Sabah. Senga also said the situation in Sulu has improved as more troops were deployed to track down the Abu Sayyaf following the recovery of two French journalists and 12 Filipino Christian preachers. 

He estimated the remaining Abu Sayyaf holdouts at anywhere from 400 to 700 men. "Many of our troops were freed (from other rescue missions in Sulu) so we were able to rotate them faster and deploy them in areas where the remaining kidnappers were sighted," Senga said. 

He also said the people of Sulu have become more supportive of the military operations against the Abu Sayyaf and that government forces there were able to develop sources in the communities who provide information on the bandits. 

"The military should be given ample time so that we can perform our mission the best way we can and finish our job," Senga said. In another development, lawyer Oliver Lozano, legal counsel of Andang, asked Ombudsman Aniano Desierto to drop his planned investigation of Presidential Adviser Roberto Aventajado, chief government negotiator with the Abu Sayyaf who was accused of partaking of the ransom money paid for the release of the European and Malaysian hostages. 

Lozano branded as "double hearsay" the charge hurled by former Abu Sayyaf hostage Alvin Flores that Aventajado had a share of the ransom money. In a letter to Desierto, Lozano said both Flores and Andang have no knowledge of the alleged ransom cut by Aventajado. As Andang’s lawyer, Lozano said he imposed one condition to the Abu Sayyaf leader: "We invoke due process to save your life. Do not violate it to destroy the honor of others." — Paolo Romero, Roel Pareño, AFP, AP