EDITORIAL - Once again, Sabaya escapes

As the latest Abu Sayyaf hostage crisis entered its fifth month, President Arroyo renewed her threat to "crush" the Islamic extremist group. At around the same time, the group led by Aldam Tilao, alias Abu Sabaya, managed to breach a military cordon for the third time, according to intelligence reports. Sabaya and his men were reportedly spotted with two of their American hostages, Martin and Gracia Burnham, as they fled toward the coastal town of Sumisip. From there the group took a passenger jeepney for the town of Upper Mahalalang. Another bandit group reportedly conducted diversionary maneuvers to allow Sabaya and his men to escape.

Since Day One of this latest hostage crisis, Sabaya and his merry band of kidnappers have been giving the military the slip. They were not challenged by government troops as they fled Arreceffi Island in Palawan with their hostages, and they were not detected as they crossed the vast Sulu Sea to Basilan in a kumpit. The Armed Forces of the Philippines assured the public that the bandits were surrounded. The only time this seemed plausible was when the bandits were cornered at the Dr. Jose Torres Memorial Hospital in Lamitan. Sabaya and his men, however, mysteriously escaped from the hospital on June 2.

What’s happening in Basilan? More troubling are reports that Lamitan’s parish priest Cirilo Nacorda, who was trapped in the hospital when government troops laid siege to it, disclosed that the bandits had virtually walked out of the hospital after a military general ordered the troops to stand back. That was not the first time that military officials were linked to the bandits. In the first hostage crisis last year, there were widespread rumors that certain military officials were involved in ransom negotiations and were pocketing part of the money.

If many people believe Nacorda’s story, it’s because of impatience for results in the latest offensive against the bandits. And it’s because of frustration each time there are reports of Sabaya and his gang breaching yet another military cordon. Nacorda’s story must be investigated. President Arroyo can issue all the threats she wants against the Abu Sayyaf, but the commander-in-chief can never crush an enemy that her troops don’t want to crush.