AFP remains mum on latest ASG video; hopes ongoing operations will bring decisive results

From the Philippine News Agency (May 24): AFP remains mum on latest ASG video; hopes ongoing operations will bring decisive results

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has declined to issue a definite statement regarding the latest Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) video which had the remaining Samal Island foreign hostages pleading for help to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

In line with this, AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the military is focusing its efforts on operations which can help free the victims from the clutches of the bandit group hiding in their enclaves in Sulu.

"Hopefully, we get results once a decisive engagement occurs in the area," he added.

As this developed, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said that videos released by the ASG regarding their victims are an effective way of determining the latter's status.

"We always view videos released on kidnap victims as an update of their latest status. Rest assured the AFP's operations will continue and we will not stop until the situation is rectified and normalcy is restored," he added.

"We will not stop until they are rescued and the kidnappers are brought to justice. We will never negotiate with them nor pay ransom because every time they get money, it emboldens them to do more kidnapping. We will endeavor to make this kidnapping business unprofitable to them," the AFP public affairs office chief stressed.

In the latest ASG video, the victims, especially Canadian Robert Hall, are requesting Duterte to do everything he can to free them from their captors.

"We have a hundred people heavily armed around us all the time that dictate to us and talk to us like children. We've been humiliated in every way possible. One of us has already been murdered. We hope that you can work on our behalf as soon as possible to get us out of here. Please, the sooner the better. We're three-quarters dead right now. Thank you," he added.

Canadian John Ridsel was beheaded last April 25 after the Canadian and Philippine governments declined to pay the Php300 million demanded by the bandit group for his release.

The ASG earlier threatened to behead one of the remaining Samal Island hostages if their ransom demands for the four, amounting to Php600 million, are not paid by 3 p.m. on June 13.

Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingtad and Filipina Marites Flor, Hall's girlfriend, were snatched by the ASG at a posh resort on Samal Island last Sept. 21.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=888257