10 more Sayyaf bandits, supporters to surrender

At least 10 more Abu Sayyaf members and supporters in Jolo, Sulu are expected to surrender to the military as government forces pressed their crackdown against the Muslim extremist group.

However, efforts to rescue 21 American and Filipino hostages being held by the Abu Sayyaf in their jungle lair in Basilan remained a big letdown.

Lt. Gen. Gregorio Camiling, chief of the Armed Forces’ Southern Command (Southcom) based in Zamboanga City, said the 10 would be in addition to 12 others who turned themselves in last Thursday as a result of the crackdown in Sulu.

They yielded 10 Armalite and two Garand rifles.

Camiling flew to Jolo yesterday to preside at the surrender rites.

Over a hundred suspects have been arrested in saturation drives conducted simultaneously in Zamboanga City and the neighboring provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi which are known havens of the Abu Sayyaf.

But some of those taken in were freed for lack of evidence.

Camiling said the saturation drive in the four areas has so far netted 84 suspects, broken down as follows: 41 in Basilan, 37 in Sulu and 6 in Zamboanga City.

He stressed that there would be no amnesty for the surrenderees, adding that they would be prosecuted to the full force of the law.

Camiling admitted, however, that they were still trying to pin down the main Abu Sayyaf band holding two Americans and 19 Filipino hostages.

"They are hiding constantly, moving from one place to another," Camiling said, adding that the rough terrain has slowed down the rescue and assault operations.

He said the last encounter with the terrorists took place on July 18, but the enemies managed to escape.

At the same time, Camiling belied reports that Ghalib Andang alias Commander Robot, and Mujib Susukan, leaders of another Abu Sayyaf faction based in Sulu, have fled to Sandakan, Malaysia to evade the crackdown.

Retired police general Manuel Pepino, in a television interview, said Andang and Susukan who staged last year’s abduction of 21 mostly foreign guests of the posh Sipadan dive resort in Malaysia, have left Jolo for Sandakan.

"These are all allegations and (raw) information. We don’t even know his source," Camiling said.

He admitted, however, that ranking Abu Sayyaf leaders were planning to escape the country, possibly to Malaysia.

"But in our own assessment, they are still there, including Robot," Camiling said.

He also maintained that American hostages Martin Burnham and his wife Gracia were still in Basilan.

Intelligence sources said the couple were suffering from acute malaria, while other captives were afflicted with various ailments. –Roel Pareño