Use commando raid vs Abus, Senator urges PNP
chief
By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Joel San Juan and Marian Trinidad
SENATOR
Aquilino Pimentel Jr., describing two weeks of military operations in Jolo a failure,
urged President Estrada yesterday to assign Philippine National Police (PNP) Director
General Panfilo Lacson the lead role in rescuing the remaining 16 Abu Sayyaf hostages.
Pimentel also
said the lack of results from aerial and ground bombardment should also prod the
government to consider a “surgical police strike” on the terrorists, to minimize
casualties and damages inflicted on Jolo civilians.
Sen. Rodolfo
Biazon, chairman of the committee on defense and national security, blocked the proposal.
He said Lacson can
prove his skill and machismo by volunteering to rescue a police major and an Army captain
held by the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Southern Tagalog region.
He suggested
Lacson should rescue Army Maj. Noel Buan and P/Chief Insp. Abelardo Martin who were
kidnapped by the NPA in 1999.
“Lacson’s
idea of hostaging could probably fit the situation of the kidnapping of these two officers
who are held only by a few armed guerrillas of the NPA,” said Biazon.
He advised Lacson
to allow the military to employ the tactics and means they see fit to resolve the
kidnapping situation in Jolo.
Sen. Gringo
Honasan, another former military officer, echoed his view, saying military commanders on
the ground are in the best position to make an assessment of the ongoing assault.
Lacson and Armed
Forces Chief of Staff, Gen. Angelo Reyes, denied a “rift” and said they were had
differences of opinions regarding tactics and strategy.
But the
controversy over the Jolo military assault, which started Sept. 13, prompted Defense
Secretary Orlando Mercado to warn about demoralization of troops.
Understanding
Mercado, who had
earlier said he shares the blame for some operational mistakes, said rescue operations are
now concentrated in Jolo’s jungles, minimizing the risk to civilians.
He appealed for
patience and understanding from the public and government officials while soldiers and
cops risk lives pursuing the Abu Sayyaf.
“It
(debate over strategy) would certainly put the morale (of our soldiers) down. That’s
why I already accepted full responsibility to spare our commanders in the field,”
Mercado said.
Despite
criticisms, Mercado said, government troops are still doing their best because they have
confidence in the full support of President Estrada.
“Their
attitude is good. They know they have the full backing of the military establishment
headed by no less than the President, the Commander in Chief,” Mercado stressed.
The defense chief
disputed claims that malnutrition has become widespread in Sulu as a result of the
military operations. Reports blamed malnutrition for the deaths of at least seven children
housed in evacuation centers.
“Malnutrition
does not happen in one week or one month. This is a health problem that will occur even
without the conflict,” the Defense secretary said.
Prove it
Pimentel said the
massive bombardment of Jolo communities could have killed innocent civilians.
“There is no
certainty that those who had been executed and killed in the encounters were all Abu
Sayyaf members,” he noted.
The Mindanao
solon, however, emphasized he is not calling for cessation of the military offensive nor
taking the side of Lacson in his reported rift with Reyes.
“I am not
taking the side of Lacson but common sense. We cannot continue with this massive assault
against an amorphous enemy,” Pimentel said.
He said the
military can reinforce the police surgical strike, to prevent rebels from escaping.
“They can
serve as blocking force,” said Pimentel.
Lacson, he
stressed, should be given a chance to prove his claims, by heading the attack against the
rebels.
Lacson had claimed
to be right in pushing for a commando-type operation against the Abu Sayyaf. Over
nationwide television Sunday, he also described as a “blunder” the military
strategy of bombarding guerrilla lairs in Sulu.
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