Thursday, April 7, 2016

'FMO' to continue despite ASG threat to kill Samal Island hostages

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 7): 'FMO' to continue despite ASG threat to kill Samal Island hostages

"Focused military operations" (FMO) will continue despite threats of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to kill the four captives from their Island Garden of Samal City raid in September 2015.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Hernando DCA Iriberri made this statement during a chance interview at PNP headquarters, Camp Crame, Quezon City.

"We are looking at this very seriously and we (will) continue to conduct our FMO to address the situation and hopefully resolve the matter," he said.

The ASG deadline for ransom payment for three of the foreign captives is set to lapse on Friday, exactly a month after the bandits, in video clip posted in the Internet, threatened to kill the hostages if their ransom demands are not met.

These hostages are Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Norwegian Khartan Sekkingstad, and Filipina Marites Flor.

The ASG bandits are reportedly seeking a PHP1 billion ransom from the governments of their foreign hostages.

Iriberri declined to give details on the ongoing FMO as this could endanger the lives of the victims.

"We cannot go into details because it might even further endanger the victims, so (it) suffice to say that operations are ongoing with the intention of resolving the problem," he added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=874138

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