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.