January 7, 2002, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Priest says US help not needed vs Abu,

January 7, 2002, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Priest says US help not needed vs Abu, 

LAMITAN, Basilan--Former Abu Sayyaf hostage Fr. Cirilo Nacorda said there was no need for the government to seek the help of the United States military or the deployment of nine battalions of soldiers to go after the bandit group.

"We don't need US assistance regarding the problem of Abu Sayyaf and other lawless elements here. What we need is sincerity and dedication," Nacorda said.

He said deploying nine battalions of government troops would be an "overkill."

He said four to five battalions of soldiers would be enough to secure the entire province of Basilan, because of the presence of militiamen and civilian volunteer groups.

"I believe that this problem is prolonged to justify the country's request for military equipment from the US," the priest said.

Nacorda insisted that the Armed Forces of the Philippines is more powerful than the Abu Sayyaf.

"The Sayyafs don't have the Philippine Air Force or the Philippine Navy facilities. As to firepower, the AFP has an advantage compared with the bandits," he said.

But Brig. Gen. Glicerio Sua, chief of Task Force Comet and of the 1st Tabak Division, said US military troops "need not be physically (present) in the field."

"What we only need is their facilities. That's why troops are required to undertake training given by the US forces," he said.

Sua added that seeking US assistance was not an AFP decision but President Macapagal-Arroyo's.

The Abu Sayyaf is still holding three hostages-Americans Martin Burnham and his wife Gracia, and Filipino nurse Deborah Yap.

"We are tired of (the) government's promises," Elvira Pamaran Valbuena, Deborah's sister, said.

Valbuena said her family was "discouraged" when they learned that negotiators were sent to talk to the bandit group holding her sister.

"It's unending. If they would demand ransom, we cannot afford even five centavos," she said.

On Thursday, Father Nacorda said he received information from local negotiators that the bandits were demanding P100,000 for Yap's "board and lodging fee" while being held captive.

Valbuena also said the incident has caused irreparable damage to Yap's four children.

"Jonathan, Anthony, Mary Anne at Bon-bon (children of Yap) have lost their future. They all stopped going to school and there is no support going their way," she said.

In June last year, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman assured the children of financial support while their mother is in captivity.

"It's all in paper. It's tiring," said Valbuena. Julie S. Alipala, PDI Mindanao Bureau