Abus told: Free captives, surrender

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte yesterday warned Abu Sayyaf kidnappers to surrender and release all hostages or face the consequences of their actions.

“To the Abu Sayyaf, there will be a day of reckoning. Surrender unconditionally and release all prisoners, hostages or we fight,” Duterte said during a gathering of business leaders at the SMX Convention Center here.

Duterte’s warning came in the wake of the Abu Sayyaf’s threat to behead the two remaining hostages, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Maritess Flor, who were seized from a resort on Samal Island in September last year.

The bandits earlier executed Canadian hostages John Ridsel and Robert Hall who were seized along with Sekkingstad and Flor.

Duterte said he has yet to secure the commitment of the Muslim groups, particularly the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front, for the resumption of the peace process.

“I have to secure the commitment from our Muslim brothers on the continuity of the talks, hayaan na muna yan,” he said.

Duterte recently met with MILF and MNLF leaders here.

He said that once he gets the assurance that the Muslim groups are not protecting the terrorists, he would be ready to wage war against the Abu Sayyaf.

He said there will be no letup in the fight against the bandits.

“And we confront them, we confront them, tapusin na talaga natin para wala na (we’ll really end this),” he said.

Duterte said he has six years to work on the problem of terrorist groups like the Abu Sayyaf.

“I have six years to do it. God made me president, then I pray God will help me.” ?He said he dreams for Filipinos to be known as one.

“I dream one day that all Filipinos will just say Filipinos and no one will say that he belongs to the left or right, a Muslim rebel or a Moro terrorist so we can live in peace,” he said.

It’s Hall

Forensic experts of the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed yesterday that the decapitated head found recently in Sulu belonged to Hall.

The PNP Crime Laboratory said samples of DNA lifted from the head matched with Hall’s DNA record, which was provided by the Canadian embassy.

Hall was the second among the four hostages to be executed by the bandits after no ransom was paid for their release.

Ridsdel was executed on April 25 and Hall on June 13.

Chief Supt. Emmanuel Aranas of the PNP Crime Laboratory said the National Forensics Laboratory Service in Ottawa had kept a profile of Hall’s DNA and turned it over to the Canadian embassy.

The PNP Crime Laboratory released the results of the DNA test last Wednesday.

The military said they were doing everything to rescue the remaining hostages.

Clash

Meanwhile, fighting erupted yesterday afternoon between the Abu Sayyaf and military troops out to rescue the hostages in the mountains of Patikul, Sulu.

Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, said there was no immediate report of casualties as the firefight raged as of press time.

He said the troops from the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion (IB) encountered the bandits at past 2 p.m. in Barangay Pansul.

He said military forces nearby have been alerted to reinforce the troops.

On Monday, government security forces overran two camps in Talipao town, where the hostages were believed to have been held by the Abu Sayyaf.

Tan said troopers from the Army’s 45th IB were able to track down the location of the terrorists as they were conducting clearing operations in Barangay Sinumaan, Talipao.

Tan said the bandits retreated as soon as they sensed the arrival of soldiers. No clash occurred between the two forces.

“The troops found signs and indicators that the hostages and bandits had been at the camps,” Tan said.

He said the soldiers recovered ammunition, improvised explosive devices, hammocks, water containers and other personal belongings from the camps that could accommodate about 150 persons.

He said the military continued to scour the jungles and set up blockades in the area to prevent the militants from escaping with their hostages.

Tan said the military has refined its operation to rescue the remaining hostages.  – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Roel Pareño