Wesmincom: Kidnap victims brought to MILF camps

MANILA, Philippines - Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer said kidnappers in the south bring their victims to areas near the camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front even as the leaders of the group do not support such practice.

Ferrer said they are careful in running after the abductors because they do not want to jeopardize the upcoming peace talks.

“One of the problems encountered by the troops is when someone is kidnapped, he is brought to an area near the MILF camps. Sometimes, it takes time for us to validate the location,” Ferrer said.

“Because we do not want to sacrifice the peace process, the troops are very careful in pursuing the kidnappers especially if there are reports that they are within the MILF area,” he said.

Ferrer, however, believes that the practice is not sanctioned by the MILF leadership.

“We suspect that some of their elements are related to the kidnappers so they provide sanctuary, they provide safe passage to some of the kidnappers. It’s more of the blood ties and not the organization itself,” he said.

Ferrer said the usual kidnap suspects are members of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf and lawless elements. He said almost all the kidnap victims are brought to places near MILF detachments.

“We always give space for negotiation because every time there is a kidnapping incident, the province organizes a crisis management committee, so we take the cue from them just to ensure that the life of the victim would not be engendered,” he said.

He said they have been coordinating with the MILF to ensure that the abductors would not be given a hiding place.

“We’ve been asking the leadership of the MILF in our areas especially to the ceasefire committee and the ad hoc joint action group to ensure that they would not give sanctuary or safe passage to criminal elements,” he said.

Successive kidnapping incidents have been reported in Mindanao this month, the latest of which is the abduction of resort owner Hilario de los Santos, who was seized in Isabela City, Basilan by Abu Sayyaf bandits on Dec. 11.

Prior to this, Cecilia Sosas, principal of Baas Elementary School, was abducted by armed men in Lamitan town, resulting in the suspension of classes in 11 public schools in the area. Sosas was released by her captors last week.