| Kill your leaders -- Military dares Abu fighters
SULU, (ABS-CBN) - A military
officer on Monday enticed members of the extremist group Abu Sayyaf to kill their
commanders and bring their severed heads to the military in exchange for money.
"Instead of starving or dying in the military operations,
it would be better if you kill your commanders and bring their heads here. You might get
some money,'' said Army Col. Susulan Salapuddin, who addressed the rebels in a radio
interview.
The military official mentioned in particular three Abu Sayyaf
commanders, namely, Galib Andang alias Commander Robot, Mujib Susukan and spokesperson Abu
Sabaya.
The three Malaysian captives are believed to be held by the
group of Itting Agga, an Abu Sayyaf commander affiliated with Commander Robot. The
hostages and their captors have reportedly escaped Talipao, Sulu and moved inland towards
Panamao, also in the same town.
For a month now, all the rebel leaders have been on the run
with their hostages, though numerous guerillas have been arrested while some decided to
surrender amid pursuing troops and incessant military siege.
Andang and Susukan's group is also holding Rolando Ullah, the
lone hostage left of the first batch of captives taken from another Malaysian diving
resort last April 23.
African-American hostage Jeffrey Schilling is reportedly in
the hands of the Abu Sayyaf faction led by Sabaya.
Many of the hostages seized by the rebels have been freed
after payment of more than $15 million by Libya and Malaysia was made to the Abu Sayyaf,
unnamed sources said.
Reports are rife that scores of neophyte Abu Sayyaf members
are contemplating on surrender as they feel they would not survive the military assault
that began last Sept. 16 in Jolo.
Troops have captured or killed scores of Abu Sayyaf guerrillas
since launching a massive attack on the rebels.
Military ops continue
Military operations in this province, meanwhile, continue to
yield results in the past week.
Elements of the Philippine Navy's Special Warfare Group (SWAG)
have reportedly arrested 36 suspected members of the extremist organization Abu Sayyaf in
Pugad Manaol, Bulansi, Luuk, this province last Thursday.
The SWAG teams received reports
that the alleged Abu Sayyaf members were holed up inside a house in the area prompting the
military to conduct a surprise attack.
The identities of the 36 arrested Abu Sayyaf members are not
readily available.
Last week saw the fall of more extremist elements in different
areas in Sulu.
Two Abu Sayyaf members known as Fairud Ansal and a certain
Bajuber reportedly surrendered to the military over the weekend through a certain Col.
Tolentino. The capitulation was facilitated by military officials identified as Capt.
Parina, Lt. Sadaramil, Lt. Matarol.
Four other suspected Abu Sayyaf members identified as Parahan
Abubakar, Pidong Gabil, Monid Balling and Bislong Jainulla surrendered also to Col.
Tolentino in Bayog, Talipao, Sulu last Saturday.
The surrenderees also yielded an M16 rifle and two garand
rifles, among others.
Five other Abu Sayyaf members were arrested when soldiers
raided a house situated at the Mangrove area in Ipil, Maimbung, Sulu also on Thursday.
The captured rebels were identified as Mustali Asanji,
Bassirul Jalilul, Ben Jamsuri, Salip Atari Abdulal and Eko Asman.
Abu Sayyaf commander Kenhar Ammil, an alleged ally of Andang,
and 10 of his followers also turned themselves in last Friday. The surrender took place in
Barangay Batao also in Maimbung.
The surrenderees who reportedly came from Commander Robot's
group were known as:
1. Utoh Sakilan Ali
2. Mumar Abduma
3. Munji Alibarsa
4. Punjungan Kasim
5. Namin Jamsuri
6. Almuddsin Ammil
7. Manong Isnain
8. Jajid Samjani
9. Baddirih Tadu
10. Manah Hasim
Twenty-two more followers of Commander Robot have reportedly
surrendered to local and military authorities in Jolo, Sulu, the military said Thursday.
The latest batch of surrenderees corroborated reports that
about 200 extremist rebels intend to surrender as they have reportedly grown tired of
running from pursuing military troops.
(With a report from the Associated Press)
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