September 13, 2000, BusinessWorld, 'The options are really getting limited' Irked gov't mulls military assault, by Leotes Marie T. Lugo,

Government officials yesterday confirmed the Abu Sayyaf is now holding three Malaysians in the extremist group's jungle lair in Talipao, Sulu (southern Mindanao). At the same time, the Palace hinted of possible military action against the Moro bandits. President Joseph E. Estrada also ordered the country's top military and police officials, who joined him in his United States trip, to rush back to Manila and attend a meeting of the Cabinet Cluster on Foreign Policy and National Security, or Cluster E, in Malacañang this morning.

Press Secretary Ricardo V. Puno, Jr. told reporters Cluster E will decide on what the government's next move will be -- whether to negotiate with the Abu Sayyaf or launch a full military rescue operation. As of yesterday, however, Mr. Puno said concerned authorities were still gathering information on the recent abduction.

Mr. Puno said the latest report reaching the military indicate the three Malaysians are now in the hands of a certain Commander Titing Agga Noman, a first cousin of Mujib Susukan, an Abu Sayyaf commander close to Galib Andang, or Commander Robot. Acting Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Jose Calimlim and Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan, in separate radio interviews, yesterday morning also confirmed that the four armed men who abducted the Malaysians have entered Sulu

The three Malaysians -- resort manager Mohammad Nur Solaiman, resort contractor Ken Wee Cheong and diving instructor Joseph Dioquino -- were abducted from the Pasir Resort in Pandanan Island off northeastern Borneo at around 7:30 p.m. last Sunday. Mr. Puno said the three are believed to be hiding in a mountain in barangay Mahala in Talipao town, close to where the Abu Sayyaf is holding two French journalists and 11 members of the Jesus Miracle Crusade. A rival Abu Sayyaf faction is also holding a Filipino diving instructor and the last of the 21 Sipadan hostages -- Roland Ulla -- and American Jeffrey Schilling. Mr. Puno admitted the group that abducted the Malaysians used a blue speed boat owned by another Abu Sayyaf commander who was able to skirt Malaysian and Philippine border patrols. He said it was difficult to physically seal the Talipao area and there was delay in relaying the incident to concerned authorities.

But he said chief government hostage negotiator Robert N. Aventajado's talks for the release of Mr. Ulla and the two French journalists are still ongoing. He also said Commander Robot has denied his role in the latest kidnapping incident. "Commander Robot has made two points, number one that he is not involved in this kidnapping. He is not aware of it and was not responsible for it. And, number two, the discussions for the release of the two French hostages are still on," Mr. Puno said.

LIMITED OPTIONS

Asked what the government intends to do to put an end to the Abu Sayyaf problem, Mr. Puno said, "The options are really getting limited. There are really very few other options that can be taken by the government and the Abu Sayyaf is forcing the government into these options." "The more the Abu Sayyaf confirms that this (kidnapping) is going to be an ongoing activity on their part, the more they make it difficult for the government to exercise other options. The more they make it difficult to keep on talking about peaceful resolutions on this matter," Mr. Puno added.

He also warned that the government will not issue ultimatums but just act as it deems necessary. "We are not going to tolerate a situation where these become a continuing problem in that part of the country," he added. He admitted some groups have even advised the President to take a different path in solving the Abu Sayyaf problem. <>Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in a separate talk with Palace reporters, said a "comprehensive" solution to the Abu Sayyaf problem will be taken up during the National Security Council (NSC) meeting scheduled after the President returns to the country on Sept. 14.

The NSC meeting, which will focus on the Mindanao situation, is the third to be convened by the President under his term and is tentatively scheduled on either Sept. 22 or 26. Still, Ms. Arroyo admitted the police and the military may opt to act against the Abu Sayyaf even before a decision is reached during the NSC meeting.

"Of course, if Cluster E feels they should do it even ahead of the NSC then they're well within their prerogatives. They're the ones with information on their hands," Ms. Arroyo said. Meanwhile, in a press conference at the military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Queznon City (central Metro Manila), Mr. Calimlim said while the military is monitoring the new Malaysian hostages, the military cannot launch rescue operations yet since it might imperil ongoing negotiations for the release of other hostages still being held by two Abu Sayyaf factions in Sulu.

Mr. Calimlim said the military will have to wait for "orders from higher authorities" for a possible rescue mission. "We have to wait for further instructions from our political leaders (but) we can assure you that if we are given the order, we can carry it out." He also blamed the Malaysian police for failure to intercept the kidnappers while they were fleeing towards Philippine waters.

He said the Malaysian police learned of the abduction three hours after the incident. "It appears that when the Malaysian police got hold of the information (about the abduction), the kidnappers were already out of Malaysian territorial waters." He added when Philippine authorities were informed 15 hours after the incident, the kidnappers could have landed in Sulu shores with the hostages. He said there were no security personnel in the island resort that could have prevented the hostage-taking situation.

MALAYSIAN RESPONSIBILITY

Malaysia should also assume responsibility over the recent kidnapping incident of three Malaysians, diplomats said. "It is a Malaysian problem because it is their obligation to protect their nationals," Foreign Affairs acting secretary Franklin M. Ebdalin in an interview with reporters yesterday.

The Malaysian government should have tightened its security over its territory to prevent any kidnapping trend started by the terrorist group Abu Sayaff. "They should beef up their security because no one knows when these kidnappers will strike next," he added. "They (kidnappers) see the Abu Sayaff is getting a lot of money from their ilegal activities. That is why everybody's doing it."

For his part, Undersecretary Lauro Baja said the recent kidnapping situation is considered a transnational crime which "cannot be solved by one country alone." There is a need for cooperation between the Philippine and Malaysian government to avoid reccurence of such acts of terrorism and piracy, he added.

He said the government should review its option in resolving the European hostage crisis. "We opted for a long, drawn-out negotiation, a peaceful solution and a safe hostage solution, as against a swift military action, which is at some risk." Ambassador to Malaysia Jose Brillantes, in an interview yesterday, noted the abductors were speaking Malay but with a Tausug accent that is associated with Filipinos living in the south.

With a possible round-up of Filipinos in Malaysia following the kidnapping incident, Mr. Ebdalin said its has become necessary to establish a consulate in Sabah to protect Filipinos living in the area.

OTHER HOSTAGES

Chief government negotiator Robert N. Aventajado yesterday said his group has yet to resume negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf for the release of the two remaining French television journalists. In a telephone interview with BusinessWorld, Mr. Aventajado said they are still awaiting for a stable security situation in the area.

The scheduled release of the two French journalists was stalled due to hostilities between two Abu Sayyaf factions, one of which is the group led by Ghalib Andang, or Commander Robot, who holds the hostages. The remaining French hostages are part of a group of three television journalists who were abducted in Sulu last July 3 while covering the hostage situation. Mr. Aventajado declined to mention when the government will resume negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf.

Meanwhile, the military yesterday said Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Sabaya has asked for a go-between to schedule the initial round of negotiations for the release of American hostage Jeffrey Craig Edwards Schilling. In a belated report, the military said Sabaya has requested a certain Jenny Sanson to arrange for a "live interview" with Mr. Sarmiento. The report also stated the Abu Sayyaf threatened to schedule the date of Mr. Schilling's execution should initial talks fail.

GOV'T HELPLESSNESS

Three opposition congressmen yesterday criticized the government's apparent helplessness over the Abu Sayyaf's continued kidnapping, in light of the rebels' recent abduction of three Malaysians. Minority leader Rep. Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr. of Quezon City said the government should consider a military action against the rebels. "I think a military action, at some point, may be done. I think the arm of the law should catch up with these people at some point, whether it is a military action or through careful dilution of these people," he told reporters.

Bohol Rep. Ernesto Herrera said , "More than emboldened by the reported payment of ransom, the Abu Sayyaf will resort to more kidnapping because their lives depend on it," he said in a statement. Senior deputy minority leader Rep. Sergio A. F. Apostol of Leyte (Eastern Visayas) said in a statement the government should act "decisively" against the rebels or face a "ruthless" cycle of kidnapping.

Mr. Apostol noted the Abu Sayyaf's continued kidnapping of Malaysians may have serious diplomatic repercussions. -- with reports from Ruffy L. Villanueva, Melissa Q. Manalang and Norman P. Aquino