AFP intensifies operations vs Abus to rescue hostages

The Armed Forces of the Philippines will continue its operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) despite the terrorist organization’s threat to behead its elderly German hostage if a P30-million ransom is not paid.

AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said “focused military operations” against the Abu Sayyaf will continue and the government will not give in to the group’s ransom demand for captive Juergen Kantner.

“Focused military operations have been continuing in an unrelenting manner. There will be no pause. We put a premium on lives now in danger. The Armed Forces will pursue the enemy and dictate the terms, not the other way around,” Padilla said.

“We will not be cowed by the demands of evil individuals and groups who continue to perpetuate practices contrary to Islam,” he added.

A video earlier circulated online shows Kantner urging the German government to pay for his ransom or the bandits would behead him by 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The bandits kidnapped Kantner in November while his yacht “Rockall” was cruising in waters off Sulu. The bandits killed his companion, 56-year-old Sabine Merz.

In 2008, Kantner and Merz were also held captive in Somalia for 52 days and were released reportedly after a six-figure ransom was paid.

A spokesperson of the military’s Western Mindanao Command (WMC) said they were “exerting all effort” to rescue the 71-year-old German tourist.

“With deadline or no deadline, the WMC troops are exerting all effort and means in order to go after the terrorist group Abu Sayaff and to rescue all kidnap victims, foreign and local,” Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay said.

“The recent successes of the troops that resulted to the capture of two ASG members in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, two weeks ago and the killing of eight ASG members after an encounter in Capual, Sulu, last Feb. 7, indicate that the terrorist group have been badly reeling from these series of setbacks due to the government troops’ operations and no longer have safe established encampments for them to hide their victims,” she said.

“The timeline given may be due to the shortness of their funds and the need for them to establish new hiding areas,” she said.

Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., WMC chief, said government troops were working with local government units’ forces to rescue Kantner.