Military rejects pullout, seeks all-out war vs bandits

MANILA, Philippines - The Military has rejected a troop pullout from Sulu province in exchange for the release of three kidnapped International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) staff. "They [Abu Sayyaf] cannot dictate what the government must do in connection with efforts to safely secure the three ICRC victims. We will not pull out from Sulu. We will continue doing our mandate and that is to run after them," Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto C. Torres, Jr. told reporters yesterday. The three ICRC members held captive since Jan. 15 are Italian Eugenio Vagni, Swiss Andreas Notter and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba. They were abducted after attending to a humanitarian mission. Mr. Torres said giving in to the demands of the Abu Sayyaf contradict the military’s mandate to go after criminals and terrorists. In a letter written by Abu Sayyaf leader Albader Parad and Radullan Sahiron, the group asked for the military pullout and the start of negotiations with prominent personalities for the safe release of the ICRC staff. The kidnappers also asked for the abolition of the task force headed by Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan and composed of representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police and the ICRC. Mr. Torres said the military is checking the letter’s authenticity. "We discourage any negotiation with the terrorists, especially if the discussions may lead to the paying of ransom," he added. New abduction Meanwhile, a Chinese-Filipino businessman was abducted in Jolo, Sulu late Monday, the military said. Diongin Que, a restaurant owner, is the latest of 10 kidnapped victims in the province since the start of the year. Lt. Esteffani A. Cacho, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said Mr. Que, who owned Lengs Restaurant, was on his way home when seized by five heavily armed men in the village of Kakuyagan. There is no immediate update on his whereabouts and condition but Sulu police chief Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim said his men recovered the vehicle used by the abductors in the village of Tagbak in nearby Indanan town. Mr. Que’s abduction brings to five the victims now held by bandits in Sulu. This includes Xili Wu, a Chinese businessman taken in December and the three International Red Cross workers. Prior to Mr. Que’s abduction, gunmen in the nearby island-province of Basilan also kidnapped a nine-year-old boy doing an errand. The victim’s mother said the abduction of his son was a mistaken identity since they are not rich and that her family only survives on her meager salary as a teacher. ‘Favorite target’ Children have become a "favorite target" in Basilan with a total of three victims recorded in recent months. Two of these children were eventually released. Last Wednesday, Elizar Gomera, 45 and a midwife, was also kidnapped in Basilan’s Lamitan City. The victim’s colleagues said Mr. Gomera responded to an emergency delivery but he failed to return on the same day. Local government officials in Basilan have called on the military to launch an all-out war against the abductors, who are all believed to be members or have ties with the Abu Sayyaf. Basilan Vice-Governor Al Rasheed Sakalahul said the situation is at an alarming stage, with the province now considered a hideout of kidnappers. Mr. Sakalahul cited the case of the three public school teachers and a businessman who were abducted in this city and were brought to Basilan. Security officials have earlier identified the towns of Tipo-Tipo, Albarka and Tuburan as areas where the victims are usually held captive. — Louella D. Desiderio and Darwin T. Wee, BusinessWorld