| Germany, France
protest RP military offensive MANILA, (ABS-CBN) - Germany joined France on Monday in protest the
Philippine government's decision to attack the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu which is still
holding on to 19 hostages, including two French journalists.
The German government said it shares "the anxiety of our
friends and partners in France on the matter of the military operations in Jolo."
"The federal government calls upon the Philippine
government to ensure the safe release of the remaining hostages," the diplomatic note
stated.
Three Germans were among the original batch of hostages seized
from a diving resort in Sipadan four months ago. They were freed after Abu Sayyaf rebels
were paid some $1.5 million in ransom.
The other day, French President Jacques Chirac expressed his
"concern and disagreement " to President Estrada's decision Saturday to free the
remaining hostages by way of a military offensive.
But Malacañang officials said on Monday the Estrada
administration had nothing to explain to the French leader, who also demanded that the
Philippines justify the assault.
"All we can say to our friends in France is that they
should understand our situation. This is a matter where national interest must take
precedence," Press Secretary Ricardo Puno said.
Puno assured the French government that the Philippines will
do everything it can to rescue all the hostages although "the Armed Forces and the
Philippine National Police will have to do what they have to do." He said the
President has given more than enough time for the peaceful resolution of the hostage
crisis.
Palace officials pointed out that European governments with
citizens being held by the Abu Sayyaf had previously pressured the Philippines not to take
action against the rebels, which only emboldened the kidnappers to seize more captives.
"We tried to end the crisis through negotiations, but
that option is no longer possible. We must put an end to this now or face the prospect of
more kidnappings," he said.
Prioritize safety
Meanwhile, the French foreign ministry reminded Philippine
authorities on Monday that the safety of hostages still held by the Abu Sayyaf must remain
a top priority.
"We are in constant contact with political and military
authorities in the Philippines, with whom we do not stop insisting that the hostages'
safety must remain a priority," the ministry said in a statement.
President Chirac also expressed his concern for the two French hostages held in Jolo,
saying that he took the matter "very seriously".
In a phone conversation on Sunday, Chirac told his country's
ambassador to the Philippines, Gillers Chouraqui, that the safety of the two French
hostages was "an absolute priority to France."
Chouraqui met with Acting Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary
Franklin Ebdalin, who replied that the decision on the assault was made after "all
avenues of negotiations had been exhausted."
'There is no other way but to take action at this time, "
Ebdalin said.
Antonio Modena, Philippine charge' d affaires in Paris, has
likewise been summoned by the French foreign ministry to formally file a protest .
A French foreign ministry crisis team met early Sunday but was
unable to give any further information about the fate of the hostages since the military
operation began.
"We are also in contact with US authorities, and we are
asking them to relay our hopes and fears for our two compatriots," the statement
said.
The other day, Philippine authorities claimed the two French
journalists, Jean Jacques Le Garrec and Roland Madura , are no longer in the camp which
the Army raided.
Diplomatic protest
Senate leaders warned on Monday that the Philippine government
may consider filing a diplomatic protest if Chirac continues to intervene in the internal
affairs of the country, particularly the way the government is handling the hostage crisis
in Mindanao.
Senate President Franklin Drilon and Majority Leader Francisco
Tatad made the warning even as they defended the decision taken by President Estrada to
mount a military assault against the Abu Sayyaf Group.
"I will support the diplomatic protest if they continue
to interfere with our domestic decisions. We need to run these military operations to the
best that our national interest would require," he added.
Tatad expressed disappointment over the pronouncements issued
by Chirac.
"I hope the French government will remember that on Feb.
3, 1976 when members of the Somali Coast Liberation Front hijacked a school bus containing
30 school children in Djibouti , the government in Paris decided to dispatched its
counter-terrorist unit to undertake a rescue operation, even while negotiations were going
on. At least one schoolgirl was killed in that operation but the unit succeeded in
rescuing 29 children," he recalled.
Dangerous assault
Reacting to the military offensive, three ex-Jolo hostages
said the Philippine Army posed a more immediate danger to the 22 remaining hostages than
the rebels, and demanded an end to the assault.
The ex-hostages , Stephane Loisy and Sonia Wendling , from
France, and Risto Vahanen from Finland, said the remaining hostages had more to fear from
the rescuers than from their captors.
"We haven't succumbed to Stockholm syndrome, but we know
very well who could help us," Wendling's companion, Stephane Loisy said. "Our
captors were our best security."
Recalling that they had been "very , very well treated
" by the rebels, Loisy said it wasn't " in the captors interests to harm the
hostages," adding: "We never felt they would kill us in cold blood."
For Risto Vahanen, "an attack (by government troops) was
what we feared most."
"Without seeing us, (the Philippine Army) showered us
with mortars - with a small difference in aim, we wouldn't be here today," Loisy
said.
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