General in rescue of Red Cross hostages goes on leave - DND

MANILA, Philippines - Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro yesterday confirmed that Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, who is leading the troops pursuing the bandits holding three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hostages in the jungle of Sulu, “is going on a two-week leave.”

Teodoro said the general had asked for a vacation even

before the kidnapping took place in January, dispelling insinuations that Sabban was relieved from his post over disagreement with Sen. Richard Gordon on how to resolve the hostage crisis.

Sabban, commander of the anti-terror Task Force Comet, said he is going to Colombia on an official military function approved by the defense and military establishment. His deputy, Col. Eugenio Clemen, would replace him while he is out of the country.

“I did not go on leave. I’m on an official mission abroad. I was invited by the Ministry of Colombia as a keynote speaker for an International Forum on Counter-Terrorism,” he said.

He, however, declined to discuss his reported rift with Gordon.

“I’m not relieved from my post, it has nothing to do with it (Gordon issue). I’d like to clarify that I’m still the Commander of the Joint Task Force Comet. While I’m in Colombia, Lt. Gen. (Nelson) Allaga will supervise the operation on the ICRC kidnapping,” Sabban said.

Allaga, on the other hand, clarified that the operation has not been hampered with him directly supervising operations.

He said the Abu Sayyaf has been using the hostages in its propaganda by allowing them to call and make all the appeals. “This is a battle of nerves. At the time when they were kidnapped they were virtually treated as slaves by these terrorists. Let’s not fall into that propaganda,” Allaga said, adding that the military “is in firm grip of the situation.”

Patience is a virtue

Meanwhile, two administration congressmen reminded Senator Gordon yesterday that patience, and not finger-pointing, is the key to the possible release of the three kidnapped victims.

“Patience with the negotiations and military tactics must be observed to save the lives of the hostages. Criticisms will not save the hostages but will only create political noise and may only prolong recovery of the hostages,” said Marikina Rep. Marcelino Teodoro.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. agreed with his colleague.

Teodoro said Gordon should not blame government even if it has been two months since the abduction.

“Gordon, as part of the government and not simply a private individual should be more responsible in making critical statements against the government. It must be clear that the government is an ally of the three hostages and not the enemy,” he said.

He added Gordon may not be aware but the government, through the military, is working hard for the release of the hostages.

Gordon earlier said negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf to free the ICRC volunteers have failed because of government troops’ “unprovoked attack.”

Clashes left three marines and two Abu Sayyaf gunmen dead last week, while 19 other troops were wounded.

Albader Parad, the Abu Sayyaf leader holding the hostages, was also reportedly wounded and demanded withdrawal of the troops from a jungle area where the militants have been cornered or the hostages would be harmed.

Gordon subsequently negotiated with Parad for the release of one of the hostages in exchange for troops “repositioning” their forces.

The release, however, did not take place, with Gordon publicly accusing the military of ignoring his request to lift the tight security cordon and allow a handover.

He said he would hold President Arroyo and her general responsible if any of the hostages were killed in a rescue attempt.

Arroyo’s spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo, meanwhile, reminded Gordon that the government had a policy of “non-negotiation with terrorists.”

“Government has given its best effort since day one to rescue and recover the victims,” Fajardo said in a statement. “We all want this to be resolved as quickly as possible but we have to act carefully so as not to compromise their safety.”

It is improper, even dangerous, to publicly discredit the military who risk their lives to recover the victims and to negotiate with the terrorists. It compromises not only the victims’ safety but also our soldiers,” she added.

 ‘You don’t trust terrorists’

But Gordon again drew flak for his involvement in the negotiations, this time from Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, who said politicians should not allow themselves to be fooled by terrorists.

“I regret the trend that is being developed where the soldiers and their commanders are being blamed, and the terrorist being considered as men of word of honor,” he said.

Biazon, a former AFP chief of staff, said politicians and other civilian authorities must coordinate with the chain of command and let their suggestions be known to the commander-in-chief, who in turn would give out the orders to the soldiers.

He said that as a former soldier, he would not “give a damn” about orders not coming from the chain of command and civilian authorities, other than commander-in-chief, must realize this.

He stressed that it was not good to dictate on soldiers and seek their relief if they were only doing what they should.  

Gordon, however, has asserted his rights to be involved in finding immediate resolution to the kidnapping of the ICRC workers being the chairman of the local Red Cross chapter.

He would not comment, however, on the two-week leave of Saban.

“I am not considering any good thing about our people’s lives still in danger, our soldiers are still on the field, still in danger. We want to keep everybody safe, the families secure. I’m not happy about any movement of any troop because soldiers give their lives for our country,” Gordon said. 

He said he could also understand Biazon but that his colleagues should have talked to him first. – With reports from Delon Porcalla, Marvin Sy, Paolo Romero, Jaime Laude, James Mananghaya, Aurea Calica