Defense chief wants united effort to rescue ASG hostages

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin hoped rescue operations will be conducted for the recovery of seven remaining hostages, including two European nationals held captive by the Abu Sayyaf, but urged the local government officials, police and military to unite efforts to solve the problem the soonest possible time.

Gazmin aired his concern during the Sulu provincial peace and order council meeting he and Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas attended Friday.

“So ang mungkahi namin sama-sama ang local government unit, police at mga sundalo na iisa silang kumilos mas maganda ang resulta,” Gazmin said.

Gazmin said some of the hostages have been in captivity for more than one year now and expressed concerned on their physical conditions following the recovery of broadcast journalist Jordanian Baker Atyani last week.

Atyani, 44, bureau chief of the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel, was gaunt and emaciated when he was recovered by the patrolling police in a remote village of Patikul town. He claimed he escaped from his busy captors after 18 months in captivity. 

Dutchman Elwold Horn and Swiss Lorenzo Vinceguerre, who were abducted last Feb. 2012, are believed to be held captive by the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu province.

Aside from the two foreigners, the militants are also holding captive Filipino independent film makers- sister Nadjoua and Linda Bansil, telecommunication worker Dennis Aloba and escort Nasri Abubakar, and the Sulu provincial treasurer Jess Cabelin.

Outside Sulu, the government security forces are also separately pursuing four other kidnap victims. Two of them were abducted separately Thursday night in Zamboanga peninsula.

Gazmin, however, ruled out any ultimatum in the rescue operation for the recovery of the victims citing safety reasons.

“Wala tayong ultimatum, kasi it is very sensitive operation, it involves life of innocent hostages. So kailangan maplano ng maayos,” Gazmin said.