Cory prefers Abu Sayyaf beheading footage blurred

DAVAO CITY — If former President Corazon Aquino had her way, she would rather that the beheading scenes in the controversial Abu Sayyaf footage be "blurred."

"I could have preferred it that way," she told reporters during the dinner tendered in her honor at the Eden Nature Park here Friday night.

However, Mrs. Aquino, here for the 16th anniversary celebration of People Power 1, was quick to add that she is not one who would give an unsolicited advice to President Arroyo.

"I don’t give unsolicited advice to anyone, the more to the President," she said.

Malacañang and the Armed Forces released the video footage showing a machete-wielding Abu Sayyaf member beheading two soldiers in an apparent effort to gain more public support for the ongoing Balikatan military exercises between Filipino and US troops in Basilan where the extremist group still holds an American missionary couple and a Filipino nurse hostage.

"It is sad that something like that has to happen," Mrs. Aquino said, adding that viewing the inhumanity some people committed against their fellowmen was difficult.

For her part, Joji Ilagan Bian, chairwoman of the Mindanao Business Council, said the government could have explored more creative ways to elicit public support for the Balikatan than showing the beheading footage.

"There are other ways that the government could muster the support of the people for such an endeavor. The beheading footage was a bit off-tangent," she said.