Arroyo offers ‘peace of the graveyard’ to Sayyaf rebels

"The only peace for them is the peace of the graveyard."

President Arroyo reiterated yesterday her commitment to exterminate the Abu Sayyaf group in Mindanao, saying the Muslim extremist rebels should surrender if they want to stay alive. "Otherwise, they will be pulverized," she said.

The President said her determination to end once and for all the Abu Sayyaf’s reign of terror in the southern Philippines "confirms the correctness of our policy of all-out war" against the extremist rebels who pulled off a spate of kidnappings for ransom in Malaysia and Mindanao last year.

In a radio interview before returning to Manila from Ifugao province, Mrs. Arroyo said her government offers a "new life to those who have fled to the mountains and fought the government because of their political beliefs and conviction."

"To these people, the government extends the hand of peace and friendship," Mrs. Arroyo said.

Californian Jeffrey Schilling was rescued on Maundy Thursday by a combined police and military force, ending eight months of captivity by the Abu Sayyaf terrorists.

He was set to fly to his hometown of Oakland through Guam and San Francisco last night.

The Abu Sayyaf rebels gained international notoriety last year when they seized more than 40 foreigners and Filipinos from two nearby Malaysian resort islands, including local and foreign journalists who covered the long-running hostage drama in Jolo, Sulu.

The last remaining hostage is Filipino dive instructor Roland Ullah, who was snatched in the Malaysian resort of Sipadan on Easter Sunday last year along with another Filipino worker and 19 foreigners, among them six Malaysians. The rest were Europeans.

The Abu Sayyaf also seized Filipino televangelist Wilde Almeda and his 11 followers after the group bribed their way into the rebels’ jungle lair in Jolo to hold a "pray over" for the Sipadan hostages.

Except for Almeda and his disciples who were rescued by government forces conducting massive search-and-destroy operations against the Abu Sayyaf, most of the hostages were freed after paying an undetermined amount of ransom.

The Abu Sayyaf professed to be fighting for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao, but its main occupation appeared to be kidnapping for ransom.

In the same interview, the President warned all those who continue to defy the authorities and perpetuate their criminal activities that she will use the full force of the law to neutralize them.

"Mag-ingat sila (They better beware). There will be no peace table for them," Mrs. Arroyo said.

Military officials boasted it would only be a matter of time before the Abu Sayyaf would be wiped out by troops.

Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Roilo Golez noted that the Abu Sayyaf bandits who were on the run might flee to nearby Malaysia.

"Malaysia is the nearest escape destination, but the Malaysian government is also training its eyes on their possible arrival," Golez said, adding that the soldiers have already pinpointed the Abu Sayyaf strongholds.

More than half a million Filipinos reportedly live in the Malaysian state of Sabah, many of them illegal immigrants from the country’s southern islands.

Malaysian authorities tightened their security patrols on its sea border with the Philippines following Mrs. Arroyo’s order to the military to "annihilate" the Abu Sayyaf.

Golez said Manila and Kuala Lumpur have a joint border patrol agreement meant to curb smuggling, drug trafficking and piracy.

"They (Abu Sayyaf) are now scattered. They can go into hiding, but we will pursue them to the ends of the earth," Golez said.

He said the President’s order was to push the operations until the extremist rebels surrendered.