EDITORIAL - Find them, annihilate them

"They will not get away with it." We’ve heard several versions of that presidential warning since Abu Sayyaf terrorists raided the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan a year ago, seizing 20 guests and workers including three Americans. Yesterday President Arroyo issued the statement amid reports that two of the three remaining hostages – Filipina nurse Deborah Yap and American missionary Martin Burnham — had been killed in an Army raid in Zamboanga del Norte. The remaining hostage, Martin’s wife Gracia, was wounded but was rescued. Unconfirmed reports said the hostages were with the Abu Sayyaf’s high-profile spokesman Aldam Tilao, better known as Abu Sabaya, who managed to escape.

So how long have the terrorists and their captives been in Zamboanga? No wonder government troops in Basilan, backed by American soldiers and equipment, could not find the Islamic extremists and their captives. Until yesterday, the chief of the military’s Southern Command was insisting to the press that the hostage incident was still confined to Basilan. No wonder Sabaya, weeks before the raid, resumed calling up radio stations in Zamboanga City and issuing statements. All he needed to do was go to the neighborhood sari-sari or convenience store and use a pay phone. And no wonder the Americans had to dangle a $5-million reward for the capture of Sabaya and four other Abu Sayyaf commanders.

Before the raid government troops could say they could not move in to "annihilate" and "crush" the Abu Sayyaf – as promised repeatedly by their commander-in-chief – because they did not want to put the hostages in harm’s way. Now that all the remaining hostages are out of the way, there is no more excuse to let the terrorists remain scot-free. For too long the Abu Sayyaf has held several provinces in Mindanao in the grip of terror. The terrorists have survived two administrations, giving rise to speculations that the group is being coddled by the military. President Arroyo has promised not to let the terrorists get away this time. Her troops better make sure she delivers on her promise.