‘All-out war vs Abus won’t work’

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – They’ve been there, done that, and it hasn’t work.

An all-out war strategy has failed to neutralize the Abu Sayyaf, according to Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan, who says poverty in the province must instead be tackled.

“That all-out war was declared many times by previous presidents. All-out war nang all-out war, but look at what happened, the Abu Sayyaf is still there,” Tan said. 

He noted that the Abu Sayyaf continues to kidnap foreign and local hostages for ransom.

“What we need, I think, is we have to address the requirements of the community. We need to address the poverty prevailing in the area,” Tan said. 

“The people, we need the support of the people on our side. Kung ang taong bayan ay nasa atin, wala ‘yan sila (if we have the support of the people they won’t exist). We do not even have to go to war,” Tan said.

Tan also belied reports there is connivance between certain groups in the community and the Abu Sayyaf.

“Maybe not exactly connivance. But they are cooperating, or sympathizing because they see very little or nothing at all of government service in the area,” Tan added. 

The Abu Sayyaf recently beheaded two Canadian hostages who failed to come up with the P300-million ransom for each hostage. 

Tan accompanied Marites Flor, the Filipina hostage who was released by the Abu Sayyaf, when she was presented to the president-elect Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City before the weekend.

The Abu Sayyaf snatched Flor together with her Canadian boyfriend Robert Hall and fellow Canadian John Ridsdel and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad at a resort in the Island Garden City of Samal last September. 

The Abu Sayyaf beheaded Ridsdel last April and Hall the other week for reportedly failing to pay the ransom. 

They are still holding Sekkingstad captive, reportedly awaiting renewed negotiations. 

Duterte himself warned that the day of reckoning shall come for the Abu Sayyaf and that the bandit group should surrender unconditionally and release all their hostages or face the consequence of their action.

In a speech Saturday night in Cebu City, Duterte asked if the Abu Sayyaf is open to holding a dialogue with government or just continue its atrocities.

Duterte said he does not consider the Abu Sayyaf to be an enemy despite its tag as a militant group and involvement in kidnapping foreign nationals for ransom.

“Abu Sayyaf, hindi ko sila kalaban (they are not my enemeies). I know that is connected with the issue of Mindanao. Nais ko lang linawin, sila ba (I just want to make it clear if they) are willing to talk or just fight it out?” he asked.