Teodoro renews demand for release of Red Cross workers

MANILA, Philippines -Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. renewed Wednesday his demand for the Abu Sayyaf to release the three officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) following reports of their deteriorating health after over a month in captivity.

Teodoro also maintained the government would not give in to demands of the bandit group for the military to pull out their forces in Sulu.

Teodoro said the Abu Sayyaf is making it appear that the hostages are getting sick in an attempt to force the government to give in to the rebels’ demands.

“We are concerned that they are getting sick and that their health is suffering, but the Abu Sayyaf is making it appear that because the hostages are getting sick, the government should negotiate with them. I think what the Abu Sayyaf should do, if they know that the captives are ailing, is to release them,” he said.

Teodoro cited the interview of television network ABS-CBN with Mary Jean Lacaba, one of the three hostages held captive by the Abu Sayyaf, where she discussed their health concerns in the harsh jungles of Sulu.

In the same interview, Abu Sayyaf leader Yasser Igasan also discussed the health condition of the two other hostages, Swiss national Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni.

Teodoro, however, did not say if this recent development will warrant a full-scale military rescue operation.

He said the decision would depend on the recommendation of the inter-agency committee negotiating for the safe release of the ICRC hostages.

“I would not like to second guess what the crisis management committee deems proper on a day to day basis. We leave the full range of options available to them to deal with the situation,” Teodoro said.

Teodoro stressed the military option to rescue the hostages is a highly tactical decision that would be made under the authority of the inter-agency committee.

Teodoro said the Abu Sayyaf, which has claimed responsibility for the abduction, should not use the condition of the hostages as a bargaining chip.

He said the ongoing military effort to secure the theater of operations and prevent the Abu Sayyaf from moving their captives did not contribute to the deteriorating health of the hostages, but the harsh conditions in the area have taken a toll on the captives.

“Whose fault is it, the government that enforces the law or the abductors? I think we need to address that to the kidnappers – release the hostages; they have no right to abduct people, there is no justification for kidnapping whatsoever,” Teodoro added.

The Abu Sayyaf, which has been linked to the al-Qaeda terror network, is known for kidnapping and bomb attacks on Christians and foreigners.

The latest kidnapping involved a Sri Lankan Muslim peace activist seized in the nearby island of Basilan last Feb. 13.

Basilan Vice Gov. Al-Rasheed Sakalahul, chairman of the committee negotiating for the release of Sri Lankan Umar Jaleel, said a group of Muslim religious leaders are taking the initiative to convince the Abu Sayyaf gunmen to release their hostage.

“They have been advocating to the abductors that kidnapping of this peace worker is haram (forbidden) and not acceptable in Islam,” Sakalahul said.

Sakalahul confirmed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MIL) is helping out by having its Basilan-based leaders try to locate Jaleel and facilitate his safe release.

He said they are verifying reports that Jaleel was turned over to the custody of Furuji Indama, a notorious Abu Sayyaf leader behind the beheading of 14 Marines in 2007. – With Roel Pareño