Gracia Burnham returns to testify

American Gracia Burnham, a former Abu Sayyaf hostage whose husband died in the operation to rescue the missionary couple two years ago, returned to the country the other night to testify against her abductors.

Burnham, escorted by two female American agents, will reportedly take the stand tomorrow in the suburban court trial of captured members of the extremist group who allegedly abducted her and her husband Martin, along with other hostages in May 2001, prosecution sources said.

Abu Solaiman, an Abu Sayyaf leader who remains at large, sent his welcome greetings to Burnham but belittled her forthcoming testimony just like those of the other former hostages.

"Welcome back. Nothing personal about what happened to her and her husband Martin," Solaiman told Radio Mindanao Network yesterday.

Solaiman, who is facing charges of murder, extortion and kidnapping, has this message to Burnham: "Gracia, you only lost Martin, but for us, we lost our homeland... almost everything we have in this world."

He said many former hostages have testified against the Abu Sayyaf, "but we are still here."

The Burnhams, both missionaries, were seized on May 27, 2001 by Abu Sayyaf elements from a Palawan resort with Filipino tourists and another American, Guillermo Sobero, who was later beheaded by the kidnappers.

Martin Burnham and Filipino nurse Ediborah Yap were fatally shot during a military rescue operation that recovered Gracia in June 2002.

Burnham arrived in Manila at 8:25 p.m. aboard a Continental Air Micronesia flight from San Francisco and was met by local law enforcement officials.

She was whisked away by US Embassy representatives and security personnel from the National Bureau of Investigation, said Ferdinand Sampol, Manila airport immigration chief.

Prosecution sources said Burnham’s testimony was facilitated by a mutual legal assistance treaty between the United States and the Philippines.

However, further details on her court appearance in a town just outside the capital were being kept confidential.

Several key members of the Abu Sayyaf, including the commander who allegedly beheaded Sobero, have since been captured after the US and Philippine governments offered hefty rewards.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) had kept Burnham’s arrival confidential.

Tight security was also imposed by the NBI at the international airport upon her arrival, while NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco was also seen in the area.

As part of stringent security measures, Burnham completed immigration formalities at the airport’s VIP lounge instead of at the immigration desks where most arrivals line up, Sampol said.

Wycoco said he and Burnham did not talk. The mother of three children merely said "thank you" when the NBI chief introduced himself as the one tasked to fetch her from the airport.

While in the country, Burnham will be secured by a joint team of the NBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Capital Region Police Office, Wycoco said.

He said Burnham will stay in a US facility for at least three days but refused to give further details for security reasons.

Wycoco said Burnham’s return to the country only indicates her intention to help the Arroyo government in its fight against terrorism.

Officials of the Department of Justice (DOJ) expressed confidence that Burnham’s personal appearance in court will boost the government’s case against the Abu Sayyaf.

Prosecutors handling the case said Burnham could provide a lot more details than the other victims as she was the longest held hostage by the bandits.

"That is our expectation. That she can give us many more information about their abduction and positively identify the Abu Sayyaf members," a prosecutor said.

Acting Justice Secretary Merceditas Gutierrez said they were happy and grateful over Burnham’s willingness and determination to help the Philippine government pin down the Abu Sayyaf.

She said they might request Burnham to stay a little longer in case her testimony would not be finished in one day.

Burnham will also be given the opportunity to meet with her fellow former hostages and missionaries in the Philippines, Gutierrez said.

The Burnhams, from the Florida-based New Tribes Mission, were celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary when they were kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf and taken to the southern island of Basilan where their hostage ordeal of more than a year took place.

Gracia recounted her ordeal in a book, "In the Presence of My Enemies," which aroused controversy as it suggested that the Abu Sayyaf were colluding with elements in the Philippine military.

However, she clarified she did not directly witness any sign of the Abu Sayyaf receiving covert aid from the armed forces.

The DOJ has yet to release its findings of their investigation into the supposed collusion exposed in Burnham’s book.

Gutierrez had interviewed Burnham in May of last year in Rosehill, Kansas to clarify some information she wrote in her book.

The DOJ had also tapped the assistance of the FBI to trace the US bank accounts of one Filipino official who might have profited from the alleged collusion in collecting ransom payments from hostage victims.

Gutierrez refused to give further details on the official but said the person was believed to have had a hand in the ransom payments made. — With Aurea Calica, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Christina Mendez, AFP