Kidnap victims of Abu Sayyaf in Samal, Davao del Norte in September 2015. (Photo courtesy of PIO EASTMINCOM
The military is standing by the government’s no ransom policy amid the one-month ultimatum issued by Islamic extremists holding three foreigners and a Filipina seized from an island resort in Samal, Davao del Norte in September last year.
“We support the no ransom policy of the government,” stressed Col. Noel Detoyato, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief.
“We will just continue with our focused military operations based on available information to support the police operations,” added Detoyato, even as he emphasized that “the safety of the hostages is a primary concern during combat operations.”
Detoyato issued the statement after suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members issued a one month ultimatum to the government and families of the two Canadians, a Norwegian man, and one Filipina to meet their demands or they would execute the hostages.
A video that was uploaded to social media sites on Thursday showed the foreign victims – Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, pleading for their lives saying they would be killed in a month if their kidnappers’ demands were not met.The three foreigners, shirtless, bearded, and looking weak, were on their knees while being surrounded by their captors holding automatic weapons.
“We are giving a warning [of] one month for the families to [meet] the demand. Starting today March 8 until April 8, 2016. Then if you think your policy [non-negotiation] is better for you than the lives of the captives, certainly we will do something terrible against these captives,” said one of their captors.
http://www.mb.com.ph/afp-stands-by-no-ransom-policy-amid-ultimatum-for-samal-captives/
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