MANILA, Philippines–The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will not be downsizing its troops in Sulu following the release of two German hostages on Friday night, since much work needs to be done to recover 10 remaining captives.
“Our full scale combat rescue mission will continue. There will be no downsizing of troops. We have the same number and even our reserves have been deployed,” said Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, AFP public affairs office chief.
German nationals Viktor Stefan Okonek, 71, and Henrike Dielen, 55, were released by their captors on Friday night and are now in the custody of their embassy in Manila. Authorities would not confirm if ransom was paid for the foreigners’ freedom.
The AFP has deployed two brigades to take part in the law enforcement operations against the bandit group which still holds around 10 Filipino and foreign hostages.
Relentless pursuit
Cabunoc said AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. had ordered relentless pursuit of the bandit group and he wanted results.
“We want to recover the others as well. We are not only after the release of the Germans. They thought we are operating because of the Germans, but we are also after the 10 others and to punish those behind these kidnappings,” he said.
Without going into detail, Cabunoc said the law-enforcement operations with the Philippine National Police will be focused in the Patikul area and southern parts of Sulu where Abu Sayyaf members were seen roaming in the past days.
Col. Allan Arrojado, commander of the troops in Sulu, said full-scale operations were in progress to corner the Abu Sayyaf group.
No firefight has been reported so far but the military expects a gun battle soon.
PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Wilben Mayor said kidnapping cases would be lodged against the suspects once they are identified by the victims.
Cabunoc said the deployed troops had almost surrounded the renegade group and were following the bandits’ trail.
At one point, the Abu Sayyaf demanded the pullout of troops from Sulu because the military was that close on their heels.
Abandoned camp
“They were threatening to behead the hostages, that’s why they wanted us to pull out because we were close,” Cabunoc said.
Meanwhile, the military said it had captured an Abu Sayyaf camp which had apparently been newly abandoned in the wake of law-enforcement operations against the terror group.
Cabunoc said the camp, which could accommodate 100 people, was in Patikul, Sulu.
He did not disclose the exact location for security reasons.
Cabunoc added that the government troops did not encounter any resistance.
Following closely
“It was newly abandoned. It appeared that some of the hostages were held there,” the official said, adding that the Abu Sayyaf moved its captives from place to place to evade arrest.
“Our troops are still in the area, tracking them and following them closely with our tracking dogs,” Cabunoc said.
An hour before the military officially confirmed the release of Okonek and Dielen by the Abu Sayyaf, a source told the Inquirer that the money demanded by the militants had been already delivered and that the captives would be turned over to the authorities.
Abu Rami, spokesman of the bandit group, later claimed in a radio interview that the release was done after they received P250 million in exchange for the Germans.
The military and the Office of the President denied that ransom money had been paid, saying the government did not negotiate with terrorists.
Presidential deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte earlier said she could not confirm the reports because the longstanding policy of the government was that it did not engage in the payment of ransom.
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma on Sunday maintained that Okonek and Dielen were freed due to the “intense pressure” exerted by government troops on the bandits.
“There is no change in the government’s no-ransom policy,” Coloma said over Radyo ng Bayan.
Citing a report from the Armed Forces, Coloma said the Abu Sayyaf was forced to let Okonek and Dielen go while the bandits were being pursued by the military.
But for the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP), an immediate transparent investigation is needed, most particularly in tracing where the ransom money went, fearing that it might have gone to the pockets of military and government officials or may be used to fund future terrorist activities.
Organized enterprise
NUCP secretary general Alih Aiyub said it appeared that kidnapping for ransom was an organized enterprise.
“Foul play must not be tolerated. This is worse than corruption—extorting money as ransom, kidnapping becoming a lucrative business,” Aiyub said in an interview.
Peace advocate Fr. Eliseo Mercado, OMI, aired the same sentiments on his Facebook page.
“Kidnapping has become a very lucrative enterprise. People talk of conspiracy yet no real investigation and prosecution of the kidnappers,” Mercado said.–With a report from Christian V. Esguerra in Manila and Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao