The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced that it
has no information on whether ransom was paid to secure the release of the 10
Indonesian sailors earlier kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits off
Tawi-Tawi last March 26.
The 10 sailors, all crew members of the tugboat Brahma-12,
were freed Sunday near the Jolo home of Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan II on Sunday.
"The AFP has been fully focused on the conduct of
military operations in the area for the past couple of weeks, we have devoted
full attention for the rescue of the victims and the decimation of the
kidnap-for-ransom groups (KFRGs) in the island, we are not aware of any ransom
payments or negotiations to that effect," AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen.
Restituto Padilla said.
Padilla made the statement in wake of reports that a PHP50
million ransom has been paid for the release of the 10 Indonesian sailors.
"We are not also aware of the actual circumstances for
their release, we do believe that the ongoing operations we have launched since
the other week has had a profound effect on the ability of these groups to
conduct their activities at will, we (insist) that we have made their world
smaller and in due time we will come to a decisive engagement to force them to
release the remaining hostages they current(ly) hold," Padilla stressed.
"As we have mentioned in the past we continually appeal
to all concerned parties to desist in the payment of ransom, we want to end
this series of criminal acts. The payment of ransom besides being against the
government’s policy of no ransom and no negotiation with criminal and terrorist
groups will only encourage further activities of the same nature," he
added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=881586
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