Philippine military to press on against Muslim
kidnappers
MANILA, Sept 27 (AFP) - The
Philippine military would press on with a bid to rescue 17 hostages held by Muslim
extremists despite missed deadlines and complaints of army abuses, a top defence official
said Wednesday.
"We will stay as long as
is needed," Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said after President Joseph Estrada
chaired high-level security talks that reviewed the progress of the military operation
launched in southern Jolo island on September 16.
The military had vowed to
complete the operation -- also aimed at crushing the Abu Sayyaf extremist movement --
within a week but later conceded that it would take more time because of problems they had
not anticipated.
Human rights groups have also
complained about abuses by some of the 4,000 soldiers and police involved in the
operation, which has displaced about 37,000 people.
The five-month hostage crisis
began with the abduction from Malaysia of 21 mostly foreign tourists on April 23. The Abu
Sayyaf took more hostages while releasing the original captives in batches.
"President Estrada said it
is time to cut that cycle of release, kidnapping and release. It is time for us to end the
Abu Sayyaf," Mercado said, defending the military blitz.
"If it takes us as long as
the Israelis who hunted down Nazi war criminals after the Holocaust (in World War II), let
it be," Mercado said.
"It is our committment to
our people to let them know we are serious," he added.
"I know we are behind
deadline," he said.
"In the end, we will be
judged on whether we were able to recover our hostages and neutralize (the Abu
Sayyaf)."
Since the operation was
launched, two French hostages have managed to escape while 17 captives remain in the
kidnappers' hands.
Meanwhile, reports about
military abuses during the assault have been filtering out of Jolo island amid concerns
over the progress of the operation against the well-entrenched kidnap gang.
The military has said that 105
guerrillas, one soldier and two civilians have been killed while six soldiers and
policemen and four civilians were wounded.
But military sources have
admitted two more soldiers killed and eight other servicemen wounded in later clashes.
Mercado admitted that the Abu
Sayyaf enjoyed mass support in Jolo communities where they had many relatives, adding that
they were "folk heroes in a sense" for sharing the loot they amassed through
kidnappings.
He added that the Abu Sayyaf
knew that a military assault was impending so "there was no more element of
surprise."
"Native intelligence and
they know their terrain: that is their advantage. Our advantage is we have the superior
force and we are willing to operate as long as it takes to be able to solve this problem
finally," he said.
Despite speculation that some
Abu Sayyaf leaders managed to flee Jolo island, Mercado said the military believes the
kidnappers are still there with their hostages, forcing them to march at night to avoid
military patrols.
Mercado also said he did not
believe the hostages would be harmed as the kidnappers would lose their "bargaining
chips."
He remarked that clashes
between the Abu Sayyaf and military were becoming larger and more frequent, indicating
that the kidnappers had fewer hiding places left.
Mercado also emphasized that
the government would not allow troops to commit human rights violations, adding that the
government Commission on Human Rights had been authorized to go anywhere they wished on
Jolo island, with armed escorts, to investigate the accusations of abuses.
Estrada's chief aide, Executive
Secretary Ronaldo Zamora added that the president had ordered the military to investigate
any allegation of abuse.
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