End is nigh for rebels on RP hostage island
End is nigh for rebels on RP hostage island
MANILA (AFP): Philippine President Joseph Estrada on Tuesday flaunted 12 rescued Christian evangelists and said the end was near for a tired and depleted Muslim guerrilla group now hiding behind just five hostages.
The rescue of the Jesus Miracle Crusade members on Monday should "signal the early recovery of the remaining hostages" from the Abu Sayyaf, Estrada told a news conference attended by the freed captives.
They included ailing leader Wilde Almeda, who was hooked up to oxygen through a tube in his nose. "We are confident we can bring the situation to an end very soon."
Troops fanned across the southern island of Jolo on Tuesday in search of U.S. hostage Jeffrey Schilling, Malaysians Kan Wei Chong, Joseph Ongkinoh and Mohamed Noor Sulaiman and Filipino hostage Roland Ullah.
"I believe that we still have a good chance to recover all the other hostages," said the Jolo task force commander Major-General Narciso Abaya, but conceded that "lately we have lesser and lesser leads" on the American's whereabouts. However, he said, "our assessment is that they are still on Jolo island."
Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said the crisis has "cost a lot" in terms of lost investments in the Philippines as well as lost tourism in Malaysia.
"Regardless of what it will cost, we have to put an end to these activities" and allow Manila to regain its "respect and dignity."
Troops would not cease "until all the Abu Sayyaf are properly held accountable for their crimes," Mercado said.
Army commandos raided two suspected Abu Sayyaf hideouts in the village of Culasi in southern Jolo and in Taglibi on the north coast on Monday, but failed to find Schilling, military sources in Jolo said.
Government forces recovered the bodies of 10 guerrillas near Talipao town on Monday afternoon while a soldier was shot dead in the area in the evening, raising the toll to 127 rebels and nine soldiers dead, southern Philippines military chief Lt. Gen. Diomedio Villanueva said.
Top rebel leader Radulan Sahiron has been killed, but earlier reports that two other rebel leaders were wounded were inaccurate, Abaya said.
The gunmen numbered about 1,200 when the military operation was launched on Sept. 16.
Philippine military chief of staff Gen. Angelo Reyes said army attacks backed by air support had caused the rebels who held the preachers "to tire, and caused them to be demoralized. It made it easier for them to accept the fact that it is difficult to fight the government."
One of the freed men, Alvin Flores, said the rebels were "terrified" of the bombings.
More than 4,000 soldiers and police were sent to Jolo to end a five-month Abu Sayyaf kidnapping spree that humiliated Estrada and drove tourists from Malaysia, where the first batch of 21 hostages was seized in April.
Military sources in Jolo said troops were cordoning off a marshland near the towns of Talipao and Maimbung to capture the two Abu Sayyaf leaders, Mujib Susukan and Galib Andang, alias "Commander Robot."
The two commanded the largest faction of the Abu Sayyaf and were behind the seizure of the first 21 hostages from Malaysia. They held the Filipino evangelists as well.
"This Robot is really slippery," the source said. Other military sources in Jolo said many local people were helping the kidnappers despite the pursuit.
"When we pass by, they put up antennas for their hand-held radios so they can contact Robot and tell him of our movements," the military man said.
The Abu Sayyaf received large amounts of ransom for the hostages they earlier freed and have shared the bounty with local people, officials said.
Television evangelist Almeda, in a stretcher, had a "very emotional meeting" with Estrada who "stroked his hair and held his hand," presidential spokesman Ricardo Puno said.
Almeda and his preachers bribed their way into the Abu Sayyaf camp on July 1 to pray for the original hostages, including 10 westerners.
All but one of the original batch of captives were later freed after huge ransoms were paid.