By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
The Philippines’ defense chief has belittled threats by an al-Qaeda-linked militant group to behead one of two German hostages held captive in the country’s south since April.
In a radio interview Thursday on station DZMM in Manila, National Department of Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the government will not bow to the Abu Sayyaf’s demands for a $5.6 million ransom.
The day before, a message posted on a Twitter account attributed to the group said, “Abu Sayaff says #Manila should pay 250 million Pesos, #Germany should stop supporting US in its war on #ISIL" – referring to ongoing U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq and Syria.
While Germany has ruled out taking part in the airstrikes, it did break a post-World War II taboo on sending weapons to active conflict zones by agreeing to arm Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq.
A photograph accompanying Wednesday’s message shows masked gunmen, one of them gesturing to strike the German couple with a bolo - a knife similar to a machete.
Stefan Viktor Okonek, 71, and female companion Herike Diesen, 55, were initially reported missing while sailing on their yacht near Rio Tubbataha off Puerto Princesa City in the southern island province of Palawan last April.
Their yacht was found by the Philippine Coast Guard, with authorities believing they were taken to the Abu Sayyaf stronghold of Sulu.
Gazmin underlined Thursday that the Philippine government “does not negotiate with terrorists.”
“We will continue to contain them,” Gazmin said, adding that President Benigno Aquino III has issued an order to “once and for all stop the Abu Sayyaf.”
He explained that troops in the provinces of Patikul and Sulu – known Abu Sayyaf stronghold - would be reshuffled, with marines and army members comprising the government’s security force.
On July 23, a video was posted on YouTube of senior Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon -- who has a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head -- surrounded by masked men declaring support for ISIL.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Rustico Guerrero, chief of the army’s Western Mindanao Command, said the Abu Sayyaf is taking advantage of the international attention the ISIL has garnered for an increased ransom.
"All their activities are criminal in nature,” Guerrero said.
Since 1991, the Abu Sayyaf -- 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 Islamic province in the Philippines.
It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.
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