5 Malaysians kidnapped by Sayyaf

MANILA, Philippines – Five Malaysians have been taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza disclosed yesterday as he explained that military action was not the sole solution to stopping the culture of violence and kidnapping in Mindanao.

In a press briefing, Dureza said he “heard” yesterday that the bandit group kidnapped the Malaysians in Lahad Datu, Sabah. He did not provide details.

“And the Indonesians are still there. Our Norwegian Kjartan (Sekkingstad) is still in their hands right now,” Dureza said.

He said the group of Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari called to inform him that they would like to coordinate “with our military forces on the ground” to help address the criminal acts committed by the Abu Sayyaf.

But Dureza said they must employ a calibrated and comprehensive approach to the problem even if the policy is still to hold accountable those who commit crimes.

“It’s not simple military action… You just can’t bomb anybody there,” Dureza said.

Dureza said he had spoken with Marites Flor, the Filipina victim of the bandits who was released last month and who shared how the Abu Sayyaf found refuge in communities.

Flor was kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf in September of last year along with Sekkingstad and Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, her boyfriend. Both Ridsdel and Hall were beheaded.

“She told me that there are groups that bring victims to a so-called… warehouse,” he said, noting that those involved would then negotiate the ransom.

“But the community is involved because these are areas that are very remote, they have not been reached by government,” Dureza said, adding that the captors and their victims were able to transfer from one lair to another and evade the pursuing military and police.

“And they have no other interest… The children they (raised), they are not in school. Twelve years old, they are already armed, according to Marites. Meaning, they grew up in that kind of environment, so you have to address it. While we address the armed force accordingly by military might and force, you have also to address the community, the enabling environment that provided this kind of upsurge of criminality,” he said.