US help needed to locate kidnappers of ICRC hostages

MANILA, Philippines - Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. yesterday called on the Philippine government to seek assistance from the US to track down the Abu Sayyaf holding three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hostage.

Pimentel said the government could ask for technical assistance from US forces to lend their high-tech surveillance equipment to locate the kidnappers and the hostages.

“I am in favor of allowing the Americans to take part in the rescue of the abducted Red Cross personnel not necessarily by deploying troops but by aiding our troops with high-tech spy and surveillance equipment to pinpoint the location of the bandits and their hostages,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel said the terms of reference of the joint Balikatan military exercises under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) provide the guidelines on the exchange of intelligence information between the Philippines and the US in the fight against terrorism.

Pimentel said the US forces were a great help in locating the Abu Sayyaf bandits that kidnapped several foreign tourists that included American missionaries Gracia Burnham and her husband Martin in a resort in Palawan in 2001.

After almost a year in captivity, Gracia was rescued but Martin died in the attempt along with Filipina nurse Edibora Yap.

“It is clear that our troops lack equipment. That is a given and we don’t have to deny that. It was through the use of American spy and surveillance equipment that the military was able to rescue Grace Burnham and other hostages. I think the use of such equipment is badly needed now by the military,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel cited reports that government troops, backed by civilian volunteers, have cordoned off an area near Indanan, Sulu where the Abu Sayyaf is believed to be holding the three ICRC workers as hostages.

The military has deployed more troops in Jolo to augment the forces surrounding the area where the Abu Sayyaf is believed to have taken the hostages.

Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga said the deployment of troops was meant to augment the forces in the theater of operations but not to launch a rescue mission.

He said the presence of many troops has limited the mobility of the kidnappers in the attempt to force them to give up their hostages peacefully.

The Abu Sayyaf has taken hostage of Swiss Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni, and Filipina Marie Jean Lacaba for almost a month now.

“All the actions and responses are calculated but still the safety of the hostages is our paramount consideration,” Allaga said.          – With Roel Pareño, Marvin Sy