Nowhere to go: Sayyaf forces weaken, govt says

Published April 13, 2009 4:29pm

Abu Sayyaf bandits kill 2 farmers in Basilan Al-Qaida-linked militants have killed two farmers, one of whom they kidnapped during an attack on a Christian village in the southern Philippines, officials said Monday. About 50 Abu Sayyaf militants swooped down on the village of Arco in Lamitan township on Basilan Island on Friday, abducting two farmers and later shooting to death a third villager whom they met while fleeing toward a mountain rain forest, military officials said. Government forces pursuing the militants found the decapitated body of one of the two kidnapped farmers on Sunday. Led by Abu Sayyaf commander Furuji Indama, the militants were still holding one farmer, regional marine spokesman Capt. Neil Estrella said. "These are plain outlaws. They will kill whoever is in their path," Estrella said. The Abu Sayyaf apparently attacked the predominantly Roman Catholic village to disrupt a Lenten event and extort money from villagers, Estrella said. The Abu Sayyaf gunmen were backed by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a larger Muslim rebel group whose peace talks with the government collapsed last August, he said. Moreâ€¦

MANILA, Philippines - They are getting weaker and their world is getting smaller. This was the assessment of the military and the local government of Sulu on the situation of the Abu Sayyaf holding captive two remaining workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Sulu-based military spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said the banditâ€™s turf had narrowed with the continued tightening of the militaryâ€™s security cordon over areas where the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group operates. â€œThe security forces believe that the bandits have been confined in a relatively smaller location as evidenced by their continuing demand for pull-out of government forces in the municipality of Parang and barangays Panabuan, Kagay, and Pasil, all in the municipality of Indanan," said Arevalo. No bullets, no food Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan echoed the assessment, saying the bandits holding Swiss Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni were already running out of options. â€œWala nang bala ang mga â€˜yan, wala pang pagkain, napapaligiran ng pwersa ng ating pamahalaan diyan, ng ating police auxiliary [The Abu Sayyaf have run out of food and ammunition. Our forces and police auxiliary have surrounded them]," he said in an interview with dzXL radio on Monday. Tan and the military are one in believing that the hostage crisis would not last much longer because of the Abu Sayyafâ€™s weakening forces. â€œSa tingin ko di na magtatagal dahil di na tayo sasang-ayon o pumapayag sa demand na 'yan. Tayo na dapat magde-demand. Release ninyo or else," [I think the crisis wonâ€™t last much longer. We will not allow them to dictate on us. We are the ones supposed to be making the demands â€“ release them or else.]," said Tan. No ransom policy Arevalo said the military pressure was among the indicators that the two remaining hostages would be released just like Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba, who was freed last April 2. The bandits abducted Notter, Vagni and Lacaba last January 15 in Patikul town. â€œThe (crisis) Committee remains hopeful that the kidnappers will do a Lacaba, that is, safely releasing the remaining kidnap victims without pay-off. The prevailing situation since Lacabaâ€™s release in April 2 is more conducive to such release," said Arevalo. Another indicator that the hostages will be released is the committeeâ€™s stand against paying ransom to the kidnappers, according to Aravelo. â€œThe committee has never been as resolved in not paying ransom to the kidnap victims lest it would afford them their much-needed sustenance. Pay-offs increase terroristsâ€™ ranks that swell whenever there is a kidnapping incident where supporters are drawn by the prospect of gain if and when ransom was paid," said Arevalo. Village officials' clamor Aravelo also cited the clamor of the barangay officials to put an end to the kidnapping as another pressure to the bandits to release the hostages. He said the officials were supporting the State of Emergency in Sulu declared by Tan last March 31. Choke points and checkpoints were established following the declaration, which also called for the arrest of the bandits. Arevalo said the crisis committee â€œcontinues to explore other possible means, including sending a negotiator, to secure the release of the two remaining ICRC workers without having to pay ransom." - GMANews.TV

Tags: abusayyaf, internationalcommiteeoftheredcross, andreasnotter, eugeniovagni