Troops, cops closing in on Samal kidnappers

From the Daily Tribune (Sep 25): Troops, cops closing in on Samal kidnappers

Government security forces yesterday claimed to have “solid leads” and are expecting a breakthrough soon in the ongoing all-out search and pursuit operations for the gunmen now holding three foreigners and a Filipina somewhere in Eastern Mindanao region.

Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, commander of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), said the kidnap group and the hostages are still within his area of responsibility (AoR).

He expressed optimism that a breakthrough in the ongoing operation is coming soon.

“We have good leads but I cannot compromise the operations but we have a good lead… something will happen in the next (days),” Baladad stressed.

“They are still in my AoR,” he added.

While Baladad admitted the possibility that the gunmen who raided Ocean View resort on Samal Island last Monday night were Sulu based, he could not say whether they are members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group.

But he said the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group remains a suspect.

“Not necessarily Abu Sayyaf. We know it’s from Sulu but not necessarily (ASG)…maybe there are others who are trying to make a living but not ASG. I do not preclude that possibility,” the military official added.

“The primary suspect is ASG but I would not conclude that it’s ASG,” Baladad said.

There were reports tagging Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf leader Muammar Askali as responsible in the Ocean View raid.

Col. Restituto Padilla, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said all military and police units in Davao areas remained on alert in pursuit of the kidnap group and to safely rescue the victims.

He added operations are focused on the provinces of Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and adjacent Davao areas.

“We will not leave any stone unturned in the pursuit of the perpetrators but as to the exact place, we apologize we cannot reveal that for our police and military troops to do their job better,” Padilla stressed.

He echoed Baladad’s pronouncement that authorities have “solid leads” in tracking down the kidnap men.

“Suffice to say we have good leads,” Padilla said.

“We have to exert all efforts so that these victims will be rescued at the soonest possible time,” he added.

Late Monday night, around a dozen armed men raided Ocean View resort on Samal Island and took Norwegian Kjartan Sekkinstad, owner of the posh resort; Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall and a Filipina identified only as “Tess.”

The Philippine National Police (PNP) already released a cartographic sketch of one of the suspects based on the description made by Kazuka Tripp, a Japanese who escaped from the abductors.

The PNP has created special investigation task group “Ocean View” to closely conduct probe of the latest kidnapping, primary to identify the suspects and establish the motive.

Malacañang, for its part, said the Samal kidnapping will not affect the overall image of the country as a peaceful and as a favored tourism and investment destination, assuring the military and police authorities are doing their best to trace the perpetrators.

“The police and military authorities are doing their best to track and arrest the perpetrators so they can be brought to the bar of justice and they are working for the early and safe release of those that were abducted from Samal Island,” said presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.

With the analytical ability and vigilance of the military and police authorities, the Palace official stressed “they were able to maintain peace and order in our county despite the lack of resources.”

“That’s why, overall, we can say that our peace and order condition remains stable and we can see that the overall image of the Philippines as a peaceful and stable country and as a favored tourism and investment destination will not be affected,” he said.

Coloma assured that the foreign nationals will be protected amid travel advisories issued by some countries urging their respective citizens not to travel in some areas in Mindanao, including Davao provinces except for Davao City.

“We are doing our best to assure the safety of the foreign nationals in our country and to get the criminals because we want to maintain peace and order in every part of our country,” he added.

Also, Coloma affirmed the commitment of the government to maintain the 2016 elections peaceful as concerns over poll-related abductions were raised following the kidnapping incident.

“If we will based it on the 2013 elections, the record of the PNP and our security authorities in ensuring peace and order condition is good,” the Palace official stressed.

“They have conducted house-to-house campaign on areas with firearms holders and known election hot spots where criminality and occurrence of violent incidents have toned down. The government’s confidence is still high that the good peace and order situation will be the same,” he said.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/troops-cops-closing-in-on-samal-kidnappers