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No negotiation with terrorists to free Marawi priest, Duterte says

Philstar.com

September 18, 2017 | 10:56am

No negotiation with terrorists to free Marawi priest, Duterte says

Rescued Roman Catholic priest Father Teresito Suganob, center, is flanked by, from left, Col. Romeo Brawner, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Esduardo Ano, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Zia Alonto Adiong as he is presented to the media in a news conference Monday, Sept. 18, 2017 at Camp Aguinaldo in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines. Philippine troops have rescued Father Soganub and another civilian who were among dozens of people abducted in May when hundreds of militants aligned with the Islamic State group laid siege on southern Marawi city, officials said. AP Photo/Bullit Marquez

MANILA, Philippines — The freedom of Fr. Chito Suganob, the priest kidnapped by Maute terrorists in Marawi City, was made possible by “special operations” of government forces and not by backdoor talks with militants, President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday.

Duterte maintained that he would never negotiate with the Maute group as he stressed that the offensives against the jihadists would continue “until the last terrorist is taken out.”

“You know, Fr. Suganob, he was not released. He was liberated through special operation… ibig sabihin ginapang yan ng mga Special Forces or yung mga ranger (that means, the Special Forces and rangers maneuvered it),” the president told reporters in Caloocan City.

READ: AFP verifying reports of Maute surrender feelers

Asked if backdoor negotiations were held to ensure the safe release of the Catholic priest, Duterte replied: “Impossible. I will not even agree to look at them. You understood what I said before that this will not end until the last terrorist is taken out.”

“That is my order to the Armed Forces and the police: Hanggang yung katapusang tao dun na masama (It will continue until the last terrorist is vanquished),” he added.

Duterte said he would ask Suganob about the plight of the remaining captives of the terrorists, especially women who were reportedly experiencing sexual abuse.

“Well, I would say that the first question would be, it won’t be about the war but how the women were treated there. Because all of those who escaped said, and I learned about it in newspapers, I got it from the media, they were being repeatedly raped every night,” the president said.

“That's a gross violation of the rights of a human being, an affront on the dignity of women of the Philippines. That’s what I want to ask,” he added.

READ: 'Strong' Marawi priest smiles after Maute hostage ordeal ends

Suganob was kidnapped by the Islamic State-inspired Maute group on May 23, the first day of the Marawi crisis.

A few days after his kidnapping, an online video surfaced showing the priest appealing to Duterte to stop the military operations in Marawi. He was reportedly rescued by military troops Saturday night.

A total of 673 Maute militants, 47 civilians and 149 government troopers have died since the terrorists laid siege to Marawi, a predominantly Muslim city. — Alexis Romero