Hostage crisis blamed on government

By Faber Concepcion

JOLO, Sulu—Gov. Nur Misuari of the Autono-mous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) yesterday revealed that the leaders of the Abu Sayyaf terrorists who abducted the mostly foreign hostages from a Malaysian diving resort told him long before the kidnapping that they wanted to return to the fold of the law.

But Malacañang did not act immediately on his request to authorize him to negotiate.

The Abu leaders, particularly Ghalib Andang alias Commander Robot  and Mujib Susukan wanted to surrender to the government Misuari told THE MANILA TIMES in an exclusive interview.

If given such authority, the ARMM governor said he could have “neutralized” the terrorists and help prevent the kidnapping of the hostages from the Sipadan Island diving resort off Sabah in Malaysia last April 23.

“Mujib and Robot and all the leaders talked to me twice (about the surrender). I told them (Malacañang) about this and also President Estrada when he went here to open the regional Palaro of ARMM early this year,” Misuari said.

Earlier in another interview, Misuari also said he cautioned the Malaysian government against being too harsh in the deportation of thousands of illegal Filipino immigrants from Sabah following the Sipadan abduction by the Abu Sayyaf.

He said he told Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Badawi Abdullah when they met in Kuala Lumpur to be “very, very careful with these people,” because the repatriation of the thousands of undocumented Filipinos from Sabah would mean more economic hardships upon their return to their homes in Mindanao.

“Please slow down because our economy cannot still withstand the onslaught of new arriving deportees. These thousands of people coming home would affect the economy,” Misuari claimed as having told Badawi.

Meanwhile, “lost command” rebels believed to be a breakaway faction of the Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf bandits are asking a ransom of P500,000 each or a total of P1.5 million in exchange for the release of the three construction firm workers abducted Tuesday morning in Patikul town, Sulu.

Seized Tuesday at about 8:30 a.m. were Samuel Ramillano, driver and truck helpers Reynante dela Cruz and Nelson Habibas.

Military reports from Jolo, Sulu disclosed that the ransom demand was relayed through a handwritten letter by the group’s leader to Hadjirul Mandangan, owner of Mandangan Merchandising and Construction Inc. located at the port area of Jolo.

The reports said the letter was hand carried by a messenger of the rebels, who just left the package at MMCI and hurriedly left the place.

The hostages were seized by “lost command” rebels, led by Muin Sahiron and Adam Julhan in Barangay Darayan, Patikul town while delivering construction materials.

The rebels were also responsible for the detention of German journalist Andreas Lorenz of the Der Spiegel magazine.

Sahiron is said to be the nephew of Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf “chief of staff” Radulan Sahiron. The same group was responsible in the abduction of ABS-CBN researcher Maryann “Maan” Macapagal and cameraman Percival “Val” Cuenca last July 24 in Kaunayan, Patikul town.

Back to Sipadan Hostages News

Back to This Week's Borneo News