Rains stall search for Sayyaf rebels

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Torrential rains slowed down yesterday government troopers hot on the trail of the Abu Sayyaf still holding 18 captives, following the successful rescue of three Filipino hostages, officials said.

The stormy weather forced Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes to postpone a trip to Basilan, where some 5,000 soldiers have been scouring its vast central jungles for nearly three months.

He instead sought a briefing with military commanders at the Armed Forces Southern Command here.

"The weather is a big factor in every rescue or offensive operation and it has been raining here for the past 10 days. The military operation has slowed down, but troops continue moving and searching for the hostages and the terrorists," local Army spokesman Maj. Alberto Gepilano said.

Officials hope that the downpour over the Sampinit mountain range has also prevented the bandits led by Khadafi Janjalani and Aldam Tilao alias Abu Sabaya from moving further.

Soldiers have been on the trail of the kidnappers believed to be holding the bulk of the hostages, including American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham. The rebels claimed to have killed a third American, Californian Guillermo Sobero, but his body has never been found.

Sixteen Filipinos are also with the hostages, while three escaped from the guerrillas during an encounter with soldiers late Friday, officials said.

Gepilano said the troops were under instruction to continue hunting the rebels despite the rough terrain and the rains.

"Government forces were searching many areas in the past days and this resulted in clashes with terrorists and the eventual recovery of several hostages. And this operation will continue without let-up even if it rains," Gepilano said.

Col. Hermogenes Esperon, 103rd Army Brigade commander and head of Task Force Thunder formed to flush out the rebels, said: "We have to move in despite this weather condition and take advantage of it."

He said civilian volunteers and members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit-Active Auxiliary (CAA) remained on alert due to the possibility that the bandits might also take advantage of the situation and escape.

Families and relatives of the victims seized from Lamitan town worried about the health of the hostages because of the bad weather conditions.

Basilan Gov. Wahab Akbar said the Basilan crisis management committee will not entertain any negotiation as this would only allow middlemen to make a profit.

"They (Abu Sayyaf) are not human. We don’t allow many people to join these inhuman activities," Akbar said as he warned any group against initiating backchannel negotiations.

Meanwhile, Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said yesterday he would present witnesses to prove the collusion between military officials and the Muslim terrorists in the kidnappings in the South.

Biazon refused to divulge the identities of the possible witnesses for fear that they would back out due to security reasons.

But he vowed to make them available when the Senate conducts an investigation into the matter.

Biazon earlier warned that military authorities found guilty of conniving with the Abu Sayyaf face the death penalty. He added the recurrent bandit problem has been driving away foreign investors as well as tourists from the country.

Biazon and Sen. Robert Barbers have filed separate resolutions calling on the Senate national defense and security committee to conduct an inquiry on the reported collusion.

Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., chairman of the committee, said there would be an investigation into the claims of Basilan Catholic priest Fr. Cirilo Nacorda.

Nacorda had alleged that some unscrupulous military officials were the ones who ordered the withdrawal of troops from areas the Abu Sayyaf would use as exit points.

Magsaysay stressed this was a clear violation of the soldier’s oath to protect the people.

Barbers described the act as worse than economic plunder and treason since the problem has set back the country’s development. –Roel Pareño, Aurea Calica