Today is Saturday, April 4th, 2009 and it is now 1:49 AM here in the Philippines.
Well, right into the violence here...
First up, Abu Sayyaf AKA "ASG."
The big news is that Martial Law has been declared in Sulu, or to be exact, "State of Emergency." Governor 'Abdursakur Tan said it was needed given the pressure caused by the demands of the ASG faction holding the 3 workers (funny though, when victims are Filipinos, as there are always some , the governor ever felt as much pressure then!).
Those who follow my log, or at least the Blood and Guts files, remember that on 1/15th , on Jolo, 3 ICRC (International Red Cross) workers were kidnapped by ASG.
They had been inspecting the main prison there, to ensure humane conditions for ASG prisoners!!! Leaving the prison, heading back to the port for the ferry up to Zamboanga here in Mindanao they were dragged out of their NGO SUV and into the bush.
They were taken by the strongest Sulu ASG Faction, under Kumander (Commander) Parad and with the cooperation with an allied ASG faction undr Doctor Abu (nom de guerre).
Since I have pretty much elaborated on all the discussions on freeing them in past entries I will only cover the activity that has taken place since my last Blod entry 3 or 4 weeks ago.
An ICRC representative had been involved in the negotiations and found that the man leading the ASG side of the talks was actually a JI factional leader.
JI, Jema'ah Islamiyya, is an Indonesian based Islamic insurgent group, centered in Jaza but now throughout SE Asia. The JI leader talking about the hostages is the leader of aSingaporean faction.
Finally, the Parad faction set a deadline for their demands. If they were not satisfied by 2:30 PM on this past Tuesday, 3/31 they were going to behead 1 of the 3.
Then, early that day, at daybreak, 300 armed ASG fighters were seen moving through the bush just outside Barangay Lipunos in Parang village on Jolo, moving towards Parad's factional camp in Indana village.
Then nothing, no communication at all. No further Proof of Life was forth coming and so the Governor of Sulu declared Martial Law.
The next day (April 1st), Vice-Governor of Sulu, Lady (not a title but her first name) Ann Sahidulla was schedualed to meet with the negotiating team from ASG in a neutral village on the edge of the bush.
Her appointed time came and went. Knowing of the deadline the day before she audaciously trekked on foot, with avery small party into Indanan village!!!
She saw all 3 in reportedly good health, unshackled which is unusual but surrounded by hundreds of ASG fighters. She managed somehow to effect the immediate release of the 1 Filipina captive, ICRC wrker Mary Jean Lacaba, of Mindanao.
Lacaba was taken to the 3rd Marine Camp on Jolo where she was examined in the Military Hospital there, before heading north to Manial to give photo opps for the Govt., as usual.
The 2 males, an Italian and a Swiss are still in ASG custody deep in the bush.
Interestingly (somewhat) the Army tried taking credit for that they called a"Rescue Operation" before it was leake that they were not even within artillery range let alone moving men through the bush. ASG released the woman without any pressure in that vein.
Meanwhile, just a couple of hours ago Parad, the leader of the facton holdng the hostages, said the other 2 still with ASG will be beheaded unless the demands are met soon, though he would not specifi those demands for the jounalist who monitored the phone conversation between Parad and the Filipino Senator talking with him.
Another foreigner, the Sri Lankan NGO worker, Umar Jaleel who works with "Non-Violent Peace Force" (have to love that name, full of contradictions !) is still in the bush, with a an ASG faction on Basilan, which is a small island off western Mindanao and attached to us governmentally.
He was dragged from the home rented by his organisation in Lamitan, on Basilan, on 2/13th of this year.
The 3 grammar school teachers kidnapped by ASG, while at sea travelling from another small island off of western Mindanao, to Zamboanga here on Mindanao are also being held although, sadly, one is said to have succumbed to what are being labeled "natural causes" related to asurgical procedure she had endured just before being kidnapped.
Her family is publicly begging for the return of her body.
Meanwhile, the Army has created aspecific task force for the 3 teachers, "Task Force Bangkaw-Bangkaw" Bangkaw-Bangkaw being the name of the school they taught at on their tiny island.
They have been missing for nearly 4 weeks now. The teacher said to be deceased is Noemi Mandi.
There is a 4th teacher, taken in an unrelated incident by ASG, possibly the same faction but definitely based on Basilan. He is named Quizon G. Freires.
There is amoney-lender named Leah Patris who was kidnapped from her village of Maluso, on Basilan and believed to be held by the faction holding the Bangkaw teachers already mentioned.
A note of hope came2 days ago with the release of a 9 year old boy who had been kidnapped at gunpoint by ASG on his way to buy abottle of vinegar for his mum, in Lamitan on Basilan. He has been held for nearly 2 months. The Govt. of course denies any ransom has been paid.
Back on Jolo, where the ICRC workers are still being held. Martial Law is no easily or hastily convened alert. Ex-dictator Marcos used the status for incredible Crimes Against Humanoty and many people here will never forget that. All police are federal in the Philippines (there are "Barangay Police" but they are akin to "Neighbourhood Watch" workers in the US, etc.).
The Directorof the PNP (Philippine National Police) criticised the decison to call the State of Emergency and warned the Sulu Government not to use the alert as cover for heinous activities, etc.
Sulu, including Jolo are not governed by mindanao, within the same enity per se so that the Martial Law is not extended to us, but to all pointssouth of us.
Still, about 4 hours ago in Isabela, the capitol of Basilan in Plaza Rizal, the most congested part ofthe city (around 8 PM on Friday so it packed with people), a bomb detonated killing at least 4 people, and wounding scores. It was placed in the trash bin of a Jollibee Resturant, our equivalent to a BurgerKing, etc.
Not claimed yet but the entire island is controlled by ASG. There is one MILF Command on the island, actually MILF-BIAF but they are subverted to the largest ASG faction on the island.
If you read me regularly, you will remember that this same spot was hit by a grenade in December, during an outdoor concert in the plaza, sponsored by Jollibee.
Also, this past evening, 6 Marines said to have been killed when their 10 tonne truck hit alandmine planted by ASG in Patikul village in Sulu.
I will cose here and open another entry to continue with the other groups...
Well, right into the violence here...
First up, Abu Sayyaf AKA "ASG."
The big news is that Martial Law has been declared in Sulu, or to be exact, "State of Emergency." Governor 'Abdursakur Tan said it was needed given the pressure caused by the demands of the ASG faction holding the 3 workers (funny though, when victims are Filipinos, as there are always some , the governor ever felt as much pressure then!).
Those who follow my log, or at least the Blood and Guts files, remember that on 1/15th , on Jolo, 3 ICRC (International Red Cross) workers were kidnapped by ASG.
They had been inspecting the main prison there, to ensure humane conditions for ASG prisoners!!! Leaving the prison, heading back to the port for the ferry up to Zamboanga here in Mindanao they were dragged out of their NGO SUV and into the bush.
They were taken by the strongest Sulu ASG Faction, under Kumander (Commander) Parad and with the cooperation with an allied ASG faction undr Doctor Abu (nom de guerre).
Since I have pretty much elaborated on all the discussions on freeing them in past entries I will only cover the activity that has taken place since my last Blod entry 3 or 4 weeks ago.
An ICRC representative had been involved in the negotiations and found that the man leading the ASG side of the talks was actually a JI factional leader.
JI, Jema'ah Islamiyya, is an Indonesian based Islamic insurgent group, centered in Jaza but now throughout SE Asia. The JI leader talking about the hostages is the leader of aSingaporean faction.
Finally, the Parad faction set a deadline for their demands. If they were not satisfied by 2:30 PM on this past Tuesday, 3/31 they were going to behead 1 of the 3.
Then, early that day, at daybreak, 300 armed ASG fighters were seen moving through the bush just outside Barangay Lipunos in Parang village on Jolo, moving towards Parad's factional camp in Indana village.
Then nothing, no communication at all. No further Proof of Life was forth coming and so the Governor of Sulu declared Martial Law.
The next day (April 1st), Vice-Governor of Sulu, Lady (not a title but her first name) Ann Sahidulla was schedualed to meet with the negotiating team from ASG in a neutral village on the edge of the bush.
Her appointed time came and went. Knowing of the deadline the day before she audaciously trekked on foot, with avery small party into Indanan village!!!
She saw all 3 in reportedly good health, unshackled which is unusual but surrounded by hundreds of ASG fighters. She managed somehow to effect the immediate release of the 1 Filipina captive, ICRC wrker Mary Jean Lacaba, of Mindanao.
Lacaba was taken to the 3rd Marine Camp on Jolo where she was examined in the Military Hospital there, before heading north to Manial to give photo opps for the Govt., as usual.
The 2 males, an Italian and a Swiss are still in ASG custody deep in the bush.
Interestingly (somewhat) the Army tried taking credit for that they called a"Rescue Operation" before it was leake that they were not even within artillery range let alone moving men through the bush. ASG released the woman without any pressure in that vein.
Meanwhile, just a couple of hours ago Parad, the leader of the facton holdng the hostages, said the other 2 still with ASG will be beheaded unless the demands are met soon, though he would not specifi those demands for the jounalist who monitored the phone conversation between Parad and the Filipino Senator talking with him.
Another foreigner, the Sri Lankan NGO worker, Umar Jaleel who works with "Non-Violent Peace Force" (have to love that name, full of contradictions !) is still in the bush, with a an ASG faction on Basilan, which is a small island off western Mindanao and attached to us governmentally.
He was dragged from the home rented by his organisation in Lamitan, on Basilan, on 2/13th of this year.
The 3 grammar school teachers kidnapped by ASG, while at sea travelling from another small island off of western Mindanao, to Zamboanga here on Mindanao are also being held although, sadly, one is said to have succumbed to what are being labeled "natural causes" related to asurgical procedure she had endured just before being kidnapped.
Her family is publicly begging for the return of her body.
Meanwhile, the Army has created aspecific task force for the 3 teachers, "Task Force Bangkaw-Bangkaw" Bangkaw-Bangkaw being the name of the school they taught at on their tiny island.
They have been missing for nearly 4 weeks now. The teacher said to be deceased is Noemi Mandi.
There is a 4th teacher, taken in an unrelated incident by ASG, possibly the same faction but definitely based on Basilan. He is named Quizon G. Freires.
There is amoney-lender named Leah Patris who was kidnapped from her village of Maluso, on Basilan and believed to be held by the faction holding the Bangkaw teachers already mentioned.
A note of hope came2 days ago with the release of a 9 year old boy who had been kidnapped at gunpoint by ASG on his way to buy abottle of vinegar for his mum, in Lamitan on Basilan. He has been held for nearly 2 months. The Govt. of course denies any ransom has been paid.
Back on Jolo, where the ICRC workers are still being held. Martial Law is no easily or hastily convened alert. Ex-dictator Marcos used the status for incredible Crimes Against Humanoty and many people here will never forget that. All police are federal in the Philippines (there are "Barangay Police" but they are akin to "Neighbourhood Watch" workers in the US, etc.).
The Directorof the PNP (Philippine National Police) criticised the decison to call the State of Emergency and warned the Sulu Government not to use the alert as cover for heinous activities, etc.
Sulu, including Jolo are not governed by mindanao, within the same enity per se so that the Martial Law is not extended to us, but to all pointssouth of us.
Still, about 4 hours ago in Isabela, the capitol of Basilan in Plaza Rizal, the most congested part ofthe city (around 8 PM on Friday so it packed with people), a bomb detonated killing at least 4 people, and wounding scores. It was placed in the trash bin of a Jollibee Resturant, our equivalent to a BurgerKing, etc.
Not claimed yet but the entire island is controlled by ASG. There is one MILF Command on the island, actually MILF-BIAF but they are subverted to the largest ASG faction on the island.
If you read me regularly, you will remember that this same spot was hit by a grenade in December, during an outdoor concert in the plaza, sponsored by Jollibee.
Also, this past evening, 6 Marines said to have been killed when their 10 tonne truck hit alandmine planted by ASG in Patikul village in Sulu.
I will cose here and open another entry to continue with the other groups...