No to amnesty for Abu Sayyaf

MANILA, Philippines – The proposal to grant amnesty to the Abu Sayyaf drew flak from various sectors yesterday as Malacañang said the move is “more unlikely than likely” to be considered.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita had said Malacañang would carefully study the proposal of Sen. Richard Gordon, who claimed to have information that some Abu Sayyaf commanders wanted amnesty and livelihood assistance in exchange for laying down their arms.

Security officials led by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and some members of the Cabinet security cluster, however, expressed opposition to the idea.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar admitted the growing public opinion as well as the negative implications on the country’s security ties with other countries could force Malacañang to reject Gordon’s proposal.

Olivar said the strong objections were made even before security officials in Malacañang were to meet and study the proposal.

The Abu Sayyaf – or Bearer of the Sword – wrote its early history in blood, staging kidnappings, bombings and
beheadings to draw attention, recruits and funds from the al-Qaeda terror network of international fugitive Osama bin Laden.

The homegrown terror group is listed as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.

Washington is helping the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in its campaign against the Abu Sayyaf.

“There appear to be interpretations that, legally as well morally, there seems to be little ground to stand on to give amnesty to a group like the Abu Sayyaf when some of its actions like the beheading of foreign citizens, the systematic use of ransom, don’t seem to be consistent with any relevant political agenda,” Olivar said.

He said nobody even considers the Abu Sayyaf as a political group that could be granted amnesty, adding the proposal “seems objectionable to a lot of observers.”

Indeed, Washington expressed yesterday its objections to the proposal.

US Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Thompson said the Abu Sayyaf, like any other criminal and terrorist group, must be made accountable for their actions.

“In order to bring about the prosperous, peaceful and thriving future that we all want for Mindanao and for all Filipinos, there must be rule of law, and rule of law requires effective law enforcement and holding criminals and terrorists accountable for their actions,” Thompson said.

She said the amnesty proposal would go against the Philippine government’s policy against negotiating with terrorists.

Teodoro, for his part, said the Abu Sayyaf does not deserve fair treatment for their crimes.

“They have done so much damage knowingly to the country and to the people of Sulu. I feel the advantages of any amnesty are far, far, far outweighed by the need to enforce the law in a consistent and firm manner,” he said.

Philstar