A man reads the Philippine Star article on the ransoms received by the Abu Sayyaf for the release of two German hostages Stefan Viktor Okonek, 71, and Henrike Diesen, 55 – on October 17. The Abu Sayyaf has posted a video clip on Facebook showing militants stacking a huge pile of the ransoms in the hinterlands of the southern Philippines. The Facebook account of where it was posted had been taken down and deactivated.
The Abu Sayyaf has posted a video clip on Facebook showing militants stacking up ransoms it got in exchange for the safe release of two German hostages in southern Philippines.
The post had been taken down and the Facebook account deactivated after the video went viral in social media. The clip showed militants, some of them barefooted, surrounding the ransoms - all P1000 bill - wrapped in transparent plastic sheet and stacked in bundles of five, and is estimated to be worth P160 million.
Abu Sayyaf spokesman, Aboo Rami, told Radio Mindanao Network in Zamboanga City, that they freed the two German yachters - Stefan Viktor Okonek, 71, and Henrike Diesen, 55 – on October 17 after receiving the ransom. The Abu Sayyaf demanded P250 million ransoms from Germany in exchange for the freedom of the hostages.
The Philippine military has strongly insisted that no ransom was paid for the release of two German nationals and even dared anybody to come up with evidence that ransom had been paid to Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu province.
The duo was heading to Sabah in Malaysia on a private yacht from a holiday in Palawan province when militants who were returning to the southern Philippines from a failed kidnapping in Sabah spotted the Germans and seized them on April 25.
Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, a military spokesman, insisted the foreigners were freed by their kidnappers due to pressure exerted by security forces – a line which the military have used many times in previous release of foreign hostages by the Abu Sayyaf.
“Just wondering if anyone here personally saw the P250 Million cold cash in the hands of Abu Sayyaf? Let's not believe the word of Abu Rami as if he is Jesus Christ. Di na natin mababawi ang ating pinagsasabi kung mali tayo. Unless, may magsabi dito saksi sya mismo nag abot si Mr You ng pera kay Mr Abu, walang nakakasiguro,” he said in a reaction to Facebook commentaries by “netizens” on the reported payment of ransoms to the Abu Sayyaf.
Sources in Sulu said a private jet delivered 12 trolley bags containing ransoms in Jolo and that several bags full of money had been left in the plane.
Cabunoc branded the Abu Sayyaf statement as “propaganda” and even cited allegations in the past against the military that it delivered ransom to the militant group to buy the freedom of hostages in Basilan province in 2001. He said the military does not negotiate with terrorists.
“Well, I’m used to shooting terrorists. We don't negotiate with those bastards when I was in the frontline. Soldiers like me have died fighting these bandits. Masakit din sa kalooban namin kung gawan ng kwentong ganyan. Kasuhan nyo kung sino may kasalanan. Kahit naman siguro kayo, kung nahuhusgahan sa social media ay di rin matutuwa kung pagtatawanan. Patas lang po. Tinatawanan din tayo ng mga Abu Sayyaf at ng mga kurakot at tiwali na dahilan di maubos ubos ang mga iyan,” said Cabunoc, who was previously assigned in Basilan where he fought the Abu Sayyaf.
It was unknown what role the military played in the ransom negotiations, but shortly after the release of the Germans hostages, Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan, a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said: “The AFP has no information on that (ransom payments) but suffice to say that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other security forces do not and will not negotiate with terrorists and kidnappers.”
The military also kept the Sulu crisis committee and provincial leaders in the dark and was not even informed about the release of the hostages. The Germans were recovered by policemen near a checkpoint, but were immediately taken away by soldiers and brought to a military camp in Jolo town.
The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) which formed a special ad-hoc crisis committee headed by Governor Toto Tan was not even informed by the military of the release of the hostages and learned about it on the news.
The Philippine military now said the money maybe fake and the statement coincided with the November 5 release of an 18-year old South Korean national who was kidnapped on September 11 in Kabasalan town in Zamboanga Sibugay province, about 130 kilometers east of Zamboanga City.
The Western Mindanao Command said Li Pei Zhei was freed by his kidnappers in Alicia town and recovered by the police. It was not immediately known if ransom was paid for his safe release, but the military said the foreigner was held captive in Basilan province.
It was unknown if the Abu Sayyaf was behind the kidnapping, but the group has threatened to kill Malaysian fish breeder Chan Sai Chuin, 32, if the ransom of 3 million ringgits (P41 million) is not paid this month. He was kidnapped along with a Filipino worker on June 16 this year from a fish farm in the town of Kunak in Tawau District.
The Abu Sayyaf is also holding captive a Malaysian policeman Kons Zakiah Aleip, 26, who was seized on June 12 also this year following a clash in Sabah that killed another policeman. The militants are demanding 5 million ringgits (P68.3 million).
Aside from the Malaysians, the militants are still holding a 64-year old Japanese treasure hunter Katayama Mamaito, who was kidnapped from Pangutaran Island in July 2010; and two European wildlife photographers Ewold Horn, 52, from Holland; and Lorenzo Vinciguerre, 47, from Switzerland, who were taken captive in the coastal village of Parangan in Panglima Sugala town in the southern Tawi-Tawi province in 2012.
The Abu Sayyaf group now has hundreds of members in the southern Philippines, particularly in the Muslim autonomous region. The military failed to stop the growing influence and violent campaigns of the militant group because it did not sustain the combat operations needed to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf in the restive region. The US military is assisting the local military in anti-terrorism operation against the Abu Sayyaf, which previously attacked and killed American soldiers in Sulu.
http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2014/11/abu-sayyaf-shows-video-of-german-ransom.html
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.