AFP rejects Gadhafi son’s offer to talk with Sayyaf

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva rejected yesterday an offer by a son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to intercede for the release of the Abu Sayyaf hostages.

However, opposition Sen. Blas Ople said the government should consider the offer made by 30-year-old Seif al-Islam before mounting a full-scale military operation against the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers.

Seif said he is again offering the assistance of the Gadhafi Foundation which he heads, to negotiate for the freedom of American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipina nurse Deborah Yap who have been held captive since May last year.

Villanueva said the military would pursue the rescue operations rather than negotiate and convince the Abu Sayyaf bandits to surrender and release their captives.

In denying Gadhafi’s bid, Villanueva said such negotiations might only lead to ransom payments.

"Any negotiation that is marked with under-the-table deals, like money and everything, I think we should not agree with. It will return to us in the form of bullets and firearms," Villanueva stressed.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Eduardo Ermita said the military can handle the hostage crisis in Basilan.

"The Libyan government knows that there is a Balikatan exercise going on here, that’s why our Armed Forces are very confident that there is no need for the intercession of other parties in solving this problem on the Abu Sayyaf," Ermita said.

Seif intervened for the release of foreign and Filipino hostages seized by the Abu Sayyaf from the Sipadan resort in Malaysia on April 23, 2000 who were freed in batches amid rumors of ransom payments.

Villanueva also doubted reports that Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon was ready to surrender and turn over the hostages to the authorities.

"This could be a ploy (to ease military pressure), but let’s just wait. If they’re true to their word, they must first release the hostages unharmed," Villanueva stressed.

He said the Abu Sayyaf has no recourse but to give up because of the tightening noose applied by the troops on the terrorists’ lair.

Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Sabaya reportedly turned over the hostages to Hapilon because of the continuing military offensive, but maintained a small unit as close-in security.

"We should look into this proposition (by Seif) no matter how remote is its possibility of succeeding. Our paramount concern is the safety of the hostages," Ople said.

He warned that a commando-type rescue operation, no matter how skillfully executed, always poses danger to the lives of the hostages.

He said with the impending launching of the Balikatan, the Abu Sayyaf might have softened up in their position and might accept a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

At the same time, Ople expressed confidence that with the US help and the joint exercise, the Philippines would finally be able to end the reign of terror in Mindanao.

"The twin scourge of our economic development –terrorism and rebellion –will hopefully come to an end with the windfall in US military assistance we will receive as a result of Balikatan," Ople said. He noted that with the joint exercise comes the pledge of the US to provide the Philippines with $100 million in military assistance this year. He explained that this assistance could be used by the Armed Forces to implement a comprehensive and sustained strategy to finally defeat the Abu Sayyaf and other terrorist groups.

Ople, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations, said their inquiry on the constitutionality of the exercise being jointly conducted with the committee on national defense, would be terminated on Feb. 21.

Vice President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona Jr. will present to the two committees the revised terms of reference signed by the two countries governing the exercise.

"We believe the terms of reference, as signed, are satisfactory in that they uphold Philippine sovereignty in our own territory," Ople said.

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said he wants to ask clarificatory questions to Guingona and Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes on the plans and other details of the maneuvers.

US eyes grand jury trial for Abu leaders

Washington mulls taking Abu Sayyaf leaders into its custody and putting them on trial in the United States.

US Embassy charge d’affaires Robert Fitts cited the kidnapping of American citizens and beheading of Californian Guillermo Sobero as criminal offenses by the Abu Sayyaf indictable before a grand jury.

Fitts admitted, however, that the Abu Sayyaf terrorists would be tried first in the Philippines before the US government could request extradition to stand trial in the US.

"I’m not aware that a decision like that had been made. I suspect we might well..." Fitts said.

He expressed optimism that the Burnhams would be rescued or released soon due to increasing pressure on their captors, citing relentless military offensives and dwindling food supply.

"Clearly the group that keeps them is much smaller than in the past. I think they’ve been worn down by the pursuit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)," Fitts said.

He expressed belief that the ongoing joint military exercise in Basilan between US and Philippine troops would compel the Abu Sayyaf leaders to free the Burnhams and Yap to be able to easily evade the pursuing troops.

Fitts also said the Burnhams have been weakened by lack of food and constant movement in the dense forests of Basilan.

At the same time, Fitts said US soldiers involved in the military war games may be killed in Abu Sayyaf attacks, but would not deter the 660-strong contingent from helping the Philippines get rid of the Abu Sayyaf which has been linked to the al-Qaeda terror network of Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden.

The bilateral military maneuvers dubbed Balikatan 02-1 officially kicks off next week in Zamboanga City and nearby Basilan island.

"There is a possibility of a hostile contact, but I would personally rate that as a possibility, not a probability," Fitts said.

"We understand the implications of coming in and we’re not just going to turn around and abandon this exercise should American soldiers die," Fitts said.

He added that the 160 US special forces to be deployed to Basilan would be farmed out to the much larger Philippine military units.

"Not more than 12 Americans would be in a (Philippine) unit," Fitts said.

The embassy official held it likely that the Abu Sayyaf would not engage the Balikatan troops in conventional or open combat. "What’s possible is, there might be terrorist incidents, a bomb or something like that," he said.

In Zamboanga City, the military was tightly restricting press coverage of the operations in Basilan amid fears the Abu Sayyaf might fire mortars or stage bomb attacks to disrupt the exercises.

While the danger was not extreme, "any explosion could be an embarrassment or an irritation," Col. Rolando Detabali said.

Meanwhile, the Abu Sayyaf has launched a disinformation campaign to mislead pursuing soldiers.

"They (Abu Sayyaf) are employing tactics and ploys in order to disengage our troops from the area where the main Abu Sayyaf group is holed out," said Army Capt. Rommel Pagayon of the 1st Ranger Battalion.

In another development, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) found itself in an untenable situation on the Balikatan controversy.

Bishop Ramon Arguelles admitted that they have realized they could not always speak for the people.

"One of the things they are becoming aware of is sometimes we are not with the people. No matter how hard we try, we always think that we are the voice of the people, but we are not. We admitted that to ourselves," Arguelles said. – With Efren Danao, Sandy Araneta, Roel Pareño