EDITORIAL - Collusion

The mayor of Jolo, Hussin Amin, has been challenged by the military to prove his claim that certain officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines may have received part of the ransom paid to Abu Sayyaf bandits for the release of hostages in Sulu.

While Amin tries to substantiate his claim, however, the government should also look into his allegation, particularly amid reports that of P130 million paid by Kuala Lumpur for the bandits’ release of four Malaysian sailors in Jolo, only P100 million ended up with the Abu Sayyaf.

Malaysian officials reportedly said the P130 million was given to “legally and religiously sanctioned” organizations in the Philippines as “a form of contribution” prior to the release of the captives. In previous kidnapping cases, the bandits have demanded “board and lodging fees” in return for the release of their captives.

Sulu Vice Gov. Abdusakur Tan has denied that certain local government officials and AFP officers in the province are in cahoots with the Abu Sayyaf, which is still holding several foreigners and a Filipina hostage. The bandits earlier executed two Canadians after their government refused to pay ransom.

Amin’s accusation, however, is not the first of its kind. A former judge and member of the House of Representatives, Amin said a congressional probe in 2004 found that a military colonel received part of the ransom for a doctor who was kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

At the height of a kidnapping spree during the Estrada administration, local government and military officials in Sulu together with a presidential aide were also suspected of receiving a share of ransom payments. The accusations were never established, but they resurfaced when businessman Reghis Romero II along with several other Filipinos and three Americans were kidnapped from an island resort in Palawan in 2001.

The military has lost many of its personnel in the battle against the Abu Sayyaf, but it cannot rule out the presence of rotten eggs within its ranks. For their part, local officials in Sulu, even if they may not be in collusion with the bandits, should do more to create an environment that will be hostile to kidnappers and terrorists. This takes firm, dedicated and honest leadership. A military solution alone is not enough to end the Abu Sayyaf scourge. Everyone must do his part, with the local government taking the lead.