Gov't vows to heighten fight against Abu Sayyaf after release of German hostages

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Government forces will intensify its campaign against the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group after the release of two German nationals, a senior government official said today.

"With the release from captivity of the two German nationals, our security forces will continue efforts to stem the tide of criminality perpetrated by bandit elements," said Herminio Coloma Jr., Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary.

The Abu Sayyaf bandits freed Stefan Okonek and Henrite Dielen on Friday, the day the group had threatened to kill one of them if their demands were not met.

The two demands include the payment of 250-million-peso (about 5.57 million U.S. dollars) ransom and German government's withdrawal of support on the United States-led campaign against the Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

Ransom was reportedly paid for the release of the couple, who were seized by the militants in April while on board a yacht off western Philippine province of Palawan en route to Sabah in eastern Malaysia.

But Coloma reiterated the government's no ransom policy.

"We are still determining the details how they were freed. (But) there's no change on the government's no ransom policy," he said.

The Abu Sayyaf Group was founded in the 1990s and had since perpetrated a number of high-profile attacks, including kidnapping and bombing. The Philippine military estimates the group has about 400 members at present.