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Thursday, March 17, 2005
Orange alert remains; Sayyaf attack feared
By Ben O. Tesiorna
* Duterte hopes Abu Sayyaf will understand that the seige was necessary
* Man claiming to be Abu Sayyaf spokesman has earlier warned they will retaliate for the death of their detained comrades
DAVAO City is still on orange alert level as the country braces for possible retaliatory attacks from the Abu Sayyaf following the death of four of their top leaders in the siege of Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig Tuesday.
"I just hope they (Abu Sayyaf) understand that government has the right to protect itself," Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said in an interview after the Parada Dabawenyos Wednesday.
Despite the alert status, the city has successfully celebrated its 68th charter anniversary.
In Wednesday's 68th Araw ng Dabaw celebration more than 1,000 police personnel and 500 Army soldiers were deployed in the city proper to secure the people from any threat.
The mayor expressed his gratitude to the people for the huge turnout of participants in the grand civic parade despite the threat.
Duterte also expressed sadness over the bloody siege in Taguig saying the government has no other course but to do what it thought was appropriate.
The mayor said while the threat of retaliation stays, he is still hoping that the Abu Sayyaf and their supporters will not do so as it will not do the Filipinos any good.
Councilor Angela Librado-Trinidad, meanwhile, said retaliation is an expected reaction since the group was the one aggrieved in the incident.
Police stormed the Camp Bagong Diwa building as the Abu Sayyaf inmates refused to surrender peacefully even after agreements have been made regarding their demands for surrender.
Three Abu Sayyaf inmates in an apparent prison break attempt grabbed three short firearms from jail guards while queuing for breakfast.
The bandits opened fire on jail officers resulting in the death of three jail officers and wounding of five others.
Then came the standoff before the assault last Tuesday.
Trinidad said what the government must do is secure the country from possible threats and at the same time address the issues and concerns raised by the Abu Sayyaf.
She also called on the police and military authorities not to be careless in their security efforts and refrain from indiscriminately assaulting any Muslim groups since they would just make things worse.
Major Magno Adalin, Task Force Aguila chief, assured the public their security plan has long been in place even before the Taguig incident.
Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Solaiman, in a radio interview Tuesday, warned of retaliation from the group.
"To you people, you don't have to bring the war to Mindanao," self-proclaimed Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sulaiman told radio dzBB, referring to the Muslim homeland in the south where the military has launched offensives against militants.
"We will bring it right into your doorstep," he said.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (March 17, 2005 issue)
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