ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – President Aquino yesterday admitted he had considered imposing martial law in Sulu province to contain the bandit group Abu Sayyaf.
Aquino flew to Sulu yesterday to oversee military operations to rescue the remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf following the beheading of Canadian Robert Hall on Monday.
In a press briefing, Aquino said he considered imposing martial law in the province in the effort to further sustain military operations against the bandit group.
“Yes (I considered it). In Sulu, in particular. But of course we have to consider the forces we have to use to implement it and there is no guarantee that there will be positive results. There might even be negative results. The enemies might gain more sympathy,” he said.
The President said the assessment was made three weeks ago as government forces kept on missing the targets no matter how near they had come to get them.
Aquino stressed security forces always found themselves trying to beat the
deadline imposed by the Abu Sayyaf for ransom payment and executing their hostages if payment is not made.
“There were instances when (the troops) could reach the so-called harboring area – the food is still hot, a cigarette is still lit but the enemies still managed to evade,” he said.
Aquino also ordered “refinements” in the military operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.
He called for a review of military operations against the bandit group during a closed-door meeting with security officials in Jolo.
Aquino though refused to elaborate on the operational adjustments.
“It was agreed... as to how the operations could be refined to successfully rescue the remaining hostages,” Aquino said.
“I think prudence dictates that I say as little as possible. Very limited what I can say. I’m sure they have sympathizers who will watch you and will give them tips,” Aquino told reporters in Filipino.
Aquino had been briefed by security officials in Jolo about the military operations to rescue the remaining hostages still held by the Abu Sayyaf.
Hall was abducted from Samal island resort last September along with another Canadian, a Norwegian and a Filipino.
The other Canadian, former mining executive John Ridsdel, was beheaded in April after a ransom demand of P300 million was not paid.
The fates of the two other people abducted at the Samal resort – Hall’s Filipina girlfriend Marites Flor and Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad – were not known.
An Abu Sayyaf deadline for the payment of a large ransom lapsed Monday and police later found a severed head of a Caucasian man outside a cathedral in Jolo.
Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, said the President was briefed on the security situation and the difficulty of the troops in running after the Abu Sayyaf.
“So he was able to understand how it was difficult for the troops to run after the enemy and why there were constraints that need to be addressed,” Tan said.
“So he understands it and has not uttered a statement about any deadline,” he added.
Tan said the President did not insist on any deadline for the military to finish its mission.
“There is no pressure from him because he saw the efforts of the troops on the ground,” Tan said.
He said the military commanders had a brainstorming and made adjustments during the meeting with Aquino at Camp Teodulfo Bautista.
Tan also declined to elaborate on the military tactics discussed during the meeting.
‘We are not alone’
In the same press briefing, Aquino told reporters that he had talked with the leaders of Canada and Norway who offered their assistance to help the Philippine government resolve the Abu Sayyaf problem.
Aquino said he talked with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and apologized for the beheading of his two countrymen. He also thanked Trudeau for maintaining the no-ransom policy.
Aquino said he had a talk with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who asked him about the probability of the successful resolution of the conflict.
Aquino said he explained to the Norwegian leader the difficulties facing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the police in neutralizing the Abu Sayyaf.
The beheadings have taken place despite the heavy deployment of military and police forces to locate them in the jungles of Jolo.
The military said some residents and relatives living in the island are helping the bandits.
According to Aquino, the Norwegian leader understood the complexity of the conflict with the Abu Sayyaf.
“So we can say this is everyone’s problem and we are not alone in looking for a solution here,” he said.
Aquino said the two leaders he spoke with were aware of private individuals trying to negotiate with the bandits, even as they affirmed the no-ransom policy.
He said there were private negotiators working for the release of the Norwegian hostage in particular.
“They said... we do not have control over private individuals,” Aquino disclosed.
Emergency powers
Aquino declined to give his successor, president-elect Rodrigo Duterte, any unsolicited advice on how to curb the Abu Sayyaf.
He said a person from Luzon like him might not be seen as someone who would know better than a man from Mindanao like Duterte.
“Under my watch, I promised a long time ago that the problems I would pass on should be much lessened or, as much as possible, all the problems that could be addressed now would already be finished so there would be no need to pass them on to the next administration,” Aquino said.
Incoming senator Panfilo Lacson said granting emergency powers to Duterte would help his administration neutralize the terror group once and for all.
Sens. Antonio Trillanes IV and Vicente Sotto III said that they do not oppose the grant of emergency powers to Duterte.
Trillanes, however, said it would take more than just the grant of emergency powers to eliminate a terrorist group such as the Abu Sayyaf.
According to Trillanes, the capabilities of the AFP should be upgraded in order to better deal with the bandit group and other security threats.
“I have a proposal to increase the capability of the Armed Forces because they’re already spread too thin. We need more troops. The Armed Forces do not have enough troops to address all the security threats,” Trillanes said.
“The Abu Sayyaf requires a military option. So if it’s a military option, we need to upgrade the capabilities of the Armed Forces, not only on the equipment front, but on the manpower front,” he added.
He said at least 20,000 new troops are needed so that the AFP would be able to dedicate them to addressing the security threats.
Sotto said he would have no objections to the grant of emergency powers to the president to address security threats in the country.
He aired his belief that Duterte would do something about the Abu Sayyaf and the AFP would step up to the challenge.
“The Philippine Army or Armed Forces of the Philippines are just waiting for the opportunity. Believe me, they are just waiting for the go signal of the chief executive,” Sotto said.
Sotto said he would also have no objections to the possible declaration of martial law in areas where the Abu Sayyaf operates.
Incoming speaker and Davao del Norte representative-elect Pantaleon Alvarez said the House of Representatives would be willing to give Duterte extraordinary powers.
Outgoing Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said he is in favor of the proposed grant of emergency powers to Duterte so he could effectively deal with terrorism, criminality, the illegal drug trade and worsening traffic.
“These are extraordinary problems needing extraordinary actions. We have to stop terrorism, illegal drugs and heavy traffic. But the proposed emergency authority should be specific and limited as to duration,” he said.
Reelected Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said he would like to listen to the proposals of the incoming administration.
“I am open to giving president-elect Duterte emergency powers, but I would like to know the specifics. The emergency authority should be clearly defined and should be time-bound,” Albano said.
On the other hand, the camp of Duterte kept mum on the proposal to grant the incoming president emergency powers to fight the Abu Sayyaf.
“No official statement has yet been issued,” Duterte’s spokesman Ernesto Abella said when asked to react to the proposal. – With Aurea Calica, Jess Diaz, Marvin Sy, Delon Porcalla, Alexis Romero