AFP, PNP get set to rescue 6 Basilan hostages

ISABELA CITY, Philippines – Military and police forces are getting ready to launch rescue operations for six people including a Sri Lankan peace advocate being held captive by bandits and rebels in the island province of Basilan. A resolution adopted by the Basilan Crisis Management Committee (CMC) earlier comsidered authorizing the military and police to launch rescue operations since the efforts exerted by the CMC in seeking the peaceful release of the hostages proved futile. Basilan Vice-Gov. Alrasheed Sakalahul, who chairs the CMC, informed Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno that the kidnappers are firm in their demands of ransom payment in exchange for the release of the hostages except for the Sri Lankan national and a farmer. Teodoro and Puno met Thursday with civil and military officials at the provincial capitol in this city and discussed plans on how to find solution to the kidnapping problems besetting Basilan province. The two cabinet officials were accompanied by National Police Director-General Jesus Versoza as well as top police and military officials in the region. Sakalahul disclosed the Abu Sayyaf bandits based in Tipo-Tipo town headed by Furuji Indama has not yet made any demands in exchange for the release of Sri Lankan peace advocate Umar Jaleel. Jaleel was seized by Indama’s group in the morning of last February 13 from the residence of the Brussels-based Non-violent Peaceforce (NP) in barangay Maloong, Lamitan City. Also, the combined Abu Sayyaf bandits and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels have not yet made demands in exchange for the release of Ernan Chaves. Chaves, a farmer, was seized on Good Friday in barangay Arco, Lamitan City by the bandits and MILF rebels and is believed to have been brought to the Sampinit complex located in the central part of Basilan. The other hostages being held captives are the three teachers from Zamboanga City — Janette delos Reyes, Rafael Mayonado and Frieres Quizon — were seized last January 23. Also being held hostage is an employee of the Maluso-based lending firm identified as Leah Patris who was kidnapped last February 3 in Sumisip municipality. The kidnappers who are members of the Abu Sayyaf bandits and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels are asking P4 million for the three teachers from Zamboanga City and P2.5 million for Patris. Puno and Teodoro disclosed that additional forces will be deployed to assist the troops that are already stationed in this province to pursue the kidnappers. “The basic problem here in Basilan is it requires additional resources to address all of these (kidnapping) problems," Puno said. Teodoro said there will be no places that will be treated as “sacred haven" for the kidnappers once the rescue operations starts and is in progress. Teodoro said the rescue operations will involve serious law enforcement citing laws will be implemented including in MILF camps that are being used to hide hostages of kidnapping. “They (MILF) will be treated the way we treat kidnappers," Puno said citing they are consider plain criminal owing to their involvement in kidnappings. Puno pointed out that there is no recognized camp in this province. Teodoro said the people, like the group of Amir Mingkong, whose group is holding captive Patris is just using the name of the MILF to get away with the law. - GMANews.TV