Abu Sayyaf bandits abandon Sulu camp, escape with 10 hostages - AFP

From InterAksyon (Oct 19): Abu Sayyaf bandits abandon Sulu camp, escape with 10 hostages - AFP

Government troops with K-9 dogs continue to track down Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits, who had escaped with about 10 of their hostages Sunday.

ASG members abandoned their camp early Sunday afternoon in Patikul town in Sulu following the release Friday night of two German captives whom the bandits abducted off Palawan last April.

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, Public Affairs Office chief of the Armed Forces of he Philippines (AFP), said the abandoned camp might have been used by the bandits as a common holding area for their hostages.

Cabunoc, however, refused to give the exact location of the freshly abandoned camp and just said that, Our troops found the camp at around 3 p.m. today (Sunday). It can accommodate up to 100 people."

He said the military had immediately relayed to pursuing troops the possible locations of the fleeing bandits.

"We're also trying to coordinate with local contacts to help direct our troops to block them from entering civilian communities. It appears the escaping bandits have with them some hostages but we still have to verify that while our troops are tracking them," Cabunoc said.

Ground troops pursuing the ASG are encountering operational difficulties as the bandits continue to hide and mingle with civilian communities even as AFP chief of staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. wants immediate results.

"Tuloy-tuloy, walang humpay, dapat may result [It should be continuous, unceasing, and should have result]. He (Catapang) is expecting results. Dapat nga kahapon may resulta na eh [There should have been result already yesterday]," said Cabunoc.

Sulu military commander Col. Allan Arrojado said their operations against the ASG were already full-scale but he refused to give details on what was happening on the ground. "No contact yet, we're still searching for them."

He confirmed the targets are now hiding in civilians communities.

Meanwhile, Cabunoc said the main objective now of the ground troops is to rescue all the remaining victims reportedly 10 individuals, including three foreigners. He said two brigades of more than 3,000 soldiers had been deployed mainly to Patikul town.

"We are after the rescue of all the remaining hostages. Of course, to punish also those who are involved in this criminal activity," Cabunoc said.

Meanwhile, Cabunoc insisted that the military was not part of the reported negotiations for the release of German nationals Viktor Estefan Okonek, 71, and Henrike Dielen, 55, Friday night, especially the P250-million ransom allegedly paid to the bandits as claimed by ASG spokesman Abu Rami.

"Wala kaming kinalaman doon [We have nothing to do with that]," Cabunoc said.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/97536/abu-sayyaf-bandits-abandon-sulu-camp-escape-with-10-hostages---afp