34 Sayyaf men charged with kidnap-for-ransom

The government filed yesterday charges of kidnapping-for-ransom and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition against 34 suspected Abu Sayyaf members and supporters arrested in a massive crackdown in Zamboanga City and the nearby islands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

This developed as officials reported that seven ranking Abu Sayyaf leaders with varying cash rewards on their heads were among more than 40 people netted in the crackdown in Basilan.

Meanwhile, armed vehicles rolled into Muslim villages in Basilan province as Marine soldiers swooped down on suspected rebel hideouts in search of 21 Fi-lipino and American hostages held for more than six weeks now by the Abu Sayyaf terrorists.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez and Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño said 28 of those charged were nabbed in Basilan, while three were captured in Zamboanga.

Nine of the suspects have standing warrants of arrest.

"We recommended no bail for their release. All of those arrested in Basilan were charged in Zamboanga," Perez said.

Among those charged were suspected Abu Sayyaf leaders Romy Halral with a bounty of P1 million, and Anwar Abdul Hamid and Abdul Saliddin with P150,000-reward apiece.

A suspected Abu Sayyaf financier, Chinese trader Ping Cheong Tan, was set free after his lawyer filed a petition for habeas corpus.

Perez said they have no information yet on how many were captured in Jolo, Sulu.

Cases for more suspects were still being prepared.

Lt. Gen. Gregorio Camiling, commander of the military’s Southern Command (Southcom) based in Zamboanga City, said three of the seven Abu Sayyaf officers were arrested in Basilan, while the rest were on the nearby island of Sulu.

Authorities said rewards for the seven suspects ranged from P250,000 to P1 million.

Camiling did not identify the seven suspects pending filing of appropriate charges against them.

The highest ranking Abu Sayyaf leader arrested so far was Nadzmie Sabtullah alias Commander Global who carries a P5-million reward.

Crackdown to continue

Both Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes and National Security Adviser Roilo Golez have said the crackdown would continue indefinitely until the Abu Sayyaf is neutralized and isolated from civilian supporters.

"We will not stop until the Abu Sayyaf ceases to be an organized group. It’s possible that after these operations, there would be some remnants, but they would be controlled by the police," Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan said.

"These operations will continue until the Armed Forces has achieved strategic victory, meaning we’ve neutralized most of their leaders and dismantle their capability to launch large-scale raids," Adan added.

The government has deployed some 5,000 troops consisting of five battalions to go after the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan led by Abu Sabaya and Khadaffy Janjalani.

The military hierarchy said last week that the troops have cornered the Abu Sayyaf terrorists holding at least 19 Filipino and two American hostages in the mountainous Sampinit complex in central Basilan, adding that a major gunbattle was imminent.

Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao admitted yesterday, however, that the soldiers have lost track of the hostages and the captors.

"The military fears that the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers have split up and hid their hostages in other towns. So they are not sure where the hostages are now," Tiglao said.

Tiglao called on the people to help the government in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf by reporting on the presence of terrorists or the hostages in their communities.

He warned that persons found harboring the kidnappers or keeping the hostages in their homes would be charged with kidnapping for ransom which is a capital offense punishable by death.

President Arroyo ordered the crackdown Friday, giving the military powers to detain Abu Sayyaf members and supporters, including those arrested without warrants, up to 36 hours without filing of charges.

Muslim leaders and other human rights groups warned, however, that the crackdown was prone to human rights abuses by the military who could indiscriminately arrest and detain innocent people.

Human Rights Commissioner Nasser Marohomsalic said the warrantless arrests constituted human rights violations.

Officials gave assurances, however, that the troops were well-versed in the rules of engagement.

"Our arrests are not indiscriminate. We have to build up information so that we can assure there is probable cause. These people have been monitored for a long period of time," Camiling said.

He welcomed complaints from relatives of the arrested suspects.

Adan denied allegations that the troops desecrated Muslim mosques in their search for the Abu Sayyaf rebels.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza also assured the people that no human rights violations were committed in the conduct of the crackdown.

Mendoza said Justice Secretary Hernando Perez personally briefed the military and that only necessary force was used by the arresting team.

In a related development, the opposition dared human rights groups yesterday to condemn what it described as a blatant violation of human rights in Basilan following accusations that innocent civilians were arrested without warrants of arrest.

The Puwersa ng Masa made the dare following the admission of the military that it is set to release 30 civilians arrested by a joint police and military team last weekend.

"Is Basilan in a state of martial law? It seems the military is full of with the arrest of innocent civilians in the South. The news blackout imposed on the media only compounded the situation when they failed to report the arrests," Puwersa ng Masa spokesman lawyer Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a statement.

To speed up the filing of the cases against the arrested Abu Sayyaf members, the justice department dispatched a team of state prosecutors to Zamboanga City.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also sent a five-member team of agents to Basilan to assist the military in the investigation and interrogation of the suspects.

"We have to be sure that those arrested were really members of the Abu Sayyaf," NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco said.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. advised the government forces to take extra care in conducting the saturation drive.

Pimentel said in a statement any mistake by the troops in arresting innocent people might incite public unrest and worsen the peace and order problem in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the military geared up for possible retaliatory attacks by the Abu Sayyaf.

Camiling said the troops were on high alert against any plan by the terrorists to stage counter-attacks or diversionary tactics against government forces and installations, as well as people centers. — With reports from Roel Pareño, Marichu Villanueva, Paolo Romero, Jaime Laude, Mike Frialde, Aurea Calica, Ella Oducayen