Philippines verifying ‘sighting’ of Indonesian hostages

By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines (AA) - The Philippines’ military revealed Monday that intelligence units are verifying reports that civilians in a majority Muslim island province have sighted seven Indonesian sailors held by Daesh-linked militants.

Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said in a statement, “many of intelligence units or informants say that the seven Indonesian hostages are in Sulu. That's their declaration.”

Last week, seven of 13 crew members on board an Indonesian tugboat were abducted by Filipino gunmen in the latest hijacking of foreign sailors in the Sulu Sea.

Over the weekend, Tan confirmed that the captured Indonesians had been turned over by the “Muktadil brothers”, who are part of a kidnap-for-ransom gang based in the Philippines’ Tawi-Tawi island, to an Abu Sayyaf group based in nearby Sulu.

Meanwhile, the incoming peace adviser for President-elect Rodrigo Duterte reiterated Monday that talks with the militant group are ongoing to secure the release of their hostages.

Jesus Dureza told GMA News that the incoming government would adopt a “calibrated approach” toward the militant group, rather than immediately diving into all-out negotiations or military offensives.

“The situation is complicated. You cannot put it in one box,” he said, underlining that the government cannot easily order bombardments that could place communities, families and hostages in danger.

“In fairness, we have to talk to them [the Abu Sayyaf] to save lives, but it’s not in the context of peace, unlike with the other groups. The full force of the law will have to be applied here,” he underlined.

Dureza added that no ransom had been paid for the release last week of Filipina Marites Flor, whose partner, Canadian Robert Hall, was beheaded June 13 after a deadline set by the group for the delivery of a 600 million peso ($13 million) ransom was missed.

They had been kidnapped from Samal Island alongside another Canadian John Ridsdel and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad last September, before they were brought to Sulu.

Ridsdel was beheaded in April after a 300 million peso ransom also failed to be paid.

Duterte, who is set to take office June 30, said efforts to secure Sekkingstad’s release are ongoing.

Since 1991, the Abu Sayyaf group -- armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles -- has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions in a self-determined fight for an independent province in the Philippines.

It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.