DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 June) – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte met with leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) late Friday night to discuss peace under his administration but held a separate one-on-one meeting with MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim afterwards.

Duterte met with Datu Abul Khayr Alonto of Lanao del Sur, chair of a faction of the MNLF and the MILF delegation led by chair Murad at Jacky’s Restocafe in Hotel Elena.

“The group pledged their support and cooperation to the new government and (to) move forward (in) the peace process,” Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Duterte’s Executive Assistant told MindaNews.

“One-on-one sila ni Murad,” said Go, who will be incoming Special Assistant and chief of the Presidential Management Staff.

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim spent around 20 minutes to talk peace during a one-on-one meeting Friday night at Hotel Elena in Davao City. Photo contributed to MindaNews

He said the Duterte-Murad conversation, which he estimated at 20 minutes, took place after the group meeting.

Go, who was in the group meeting, declined to give other details. Murad could not be reached for comment but MindaNews sources who were present said the rest of the delegation left the function room to allow the two leaders to talk but returned later to formally close the meeting.

It was the first meeting between the 67-year old Murad and the 71-year old Duterte, who visited the MILF’s Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on February 27 en route to his campaign rally in Cotabato City. Murad was out of the country then and he was received by 1st vice chair Ghazali Jaafar and members of the Central Committee. Two more attempts for a one-on-one meeting before the elections did not push through.

MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim amd President-elect Rodrigo Duterte shake hands at the end of their 20-minute one-one-one talk. Photo by KIWI BULACLAC / Davao City Mayor’s Office

“Maganda ang nangyari. Very productive,” said a source privy to what Duterte and Murad talked about, but declined to provide details.

Expectedly, the fate of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) was raised and the source said the discussion was “very positive.”

The 16th Congress under the Aquino administration failed to pass the BBL that would have paved the way for the establishment of the Bangsamoro, the new autonomous political entity that would have replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The BBL’s passage is crucial in the peace process as it is tied up with the decommissioning of MILF weapons and combatants, as well as the gradual redeployment of the military from the “former conflict areas” during the normalization phase.

Earlier, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, Jr., Duterte’s choice for Speaker of the House of Representatives, told reporters in Manila that there was “no more need” for a BBL in view of the plan to amend the 1987 Constitution to shift to a federal system of government.

“Template”

 

 Duterte during the campaign repeatedly said his administration would correct the historical injustices against the Moro people.

In his February visit to the MILF’s Camp Darapanan, Duterte spoke about his plan to have the Constitution amended to allow for the shift from the Presidential system to a federal form but “if it takes time, and if only to defuse tension, in my government I will convince Congress to pass the BBL then make it as a template for federal states.”

Ghazali Jaafar, 1st Vice Chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (right) introduces the other members of the MILF Central Committee to presidential candidate and Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte during his visit in Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao on February 27, 2016. MindaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO

At the Cotabato City plaza, the lone Presidential candidate from Mindanao stressed the need to correct historical injustices committed against the Moro people and vowed that under his administration, “we will try to go federalism. Yang Bagsamoro sa mapa ngayon, wag nang galawin yan. Gawin na lang nating example na makopya sa lahat. Ang mangyayari nito, uunahin ko na lang pakiusapan ko ang Congress na we will pass the BBL (The Bangsamoro on the map now, let’s not touch that anymore. Let’s make it an example for the rest to copy. I will immediately ask Congress to pass the BBL).

He said he will also tell MNLF founding chair Nur Misuari “kopyahin na lang natin sila para sa Mindanao at buong Pilipinas” (let’s copy that in Mindanao and in the rest of the Philippines”). Misuari, whom Duterte considers a friend, is founding chair of the MNLF with whom government signed a Final Peace Agreement in 1996 and whose implementation has yet to be fully completed.

In the last Presidential Debate in April, Duterte said “nothing will appease the Moro people if you do not give them the BBL.”

Asked in a press conference at the “Malacanang of the South” in Panacan on March 31 for clarification on his campaign promise and Alvarez’ plan on the BBL, Duterte replied: “Federalism would recognize the territory you are in now… What Alvarez meant was that we will not adopt the BBL to the exclusion of others… I’m willing to let go of the configuration now, yung boundaries nila, okay ra. But we have to reconfigure the others also. What’s sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose. Liberally construed it means kasali ka in a bigger network, yung federalism. So it will not stand out as a BBL law, it could stand out as a part of a federal set-up. Yun ang ibig sabihin. I’m sure he could not have misconstrued that thing.”

The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signed by government and the MILF on March 27, 2014provides, among others, for the passage of a BBL to pave the way for the creation of a Bangsamoro.

In a statement on June 11, Murad said the MILF “maintains its position that a CAB-based Bangsamoro Basic Law needs to be immediately passed into law, not only because it is part of the implementation of the signed agreements, but also because it effectively addresses the peculiarities unique to the Bangsamoro that are not necessarily found in other prospective federal states.”

He also cited Duterte’s earlier statements regarding making the BBL a possible template for federalism.

Duterte’s meeting with the group on Friday night covered a broad range of concerns such as achieving peace under the Duterte administration, the BBL, the need for a unified approach among the Moro fronts, the shift to federalism, illegal drugs, kidnap-for-ransom.

BROTHERS ALL. President-elect Rodrigo Duterte listens as Datu Abul Khayr Alonto (right) of Lanao del Sur, chair of a faction the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) expounds on an issue during a “private meeting” late Friday night at Jacky’s Restocafé in Hotel Elena, Lanang, Davao City. To the left of Duterte are Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, 1st vice chair Ghazali Jaafar and Sammy Al Mansour, chief of staff of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces. Photo by KIWI BULACLAC / Davao City Mayor’s Office

Alonto, who was vice chair to Misuari in the early days of the MNLF and who surfaced as MNLF chair in 2014, referred to their meeting with Duterte as a talk of brothers. “Brother talking with brother,” he said.

Alonto told ABS-CBN News Channel that the Moro fronts expressed the support of the Bangsamoro people to Duterte as “true son of Mindanao and is a good brother from Mindanao.” He said they took Duterte’s victory at the polls “as a referendum” that the Filipino people are “willing to shift to the federal system of government which could very well have the Bangsamoro government fit well in that system.”

Asked by ANC if Duterte gave a timeline for the passage of the BBL, Alonto replied “that will be coming from his office after his oath-taking. “

BROTHER TO BROTHER. President-elect Rodrigo Duterte poses for a souvenir photo with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim (to his right) and Datu Abul Khayr Alonto (to his left), chair of a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) after a “private meeting” late Friday night at Jacky’s Restocafe in Hotel Elena, Lanang, Davao City. Photo by KIWI BULACLAC / Davao City Mayor’s Office

He said there will be an “all-comprehensive agreement and position to be presented by the Moro community through the leaders of the MILF and with support of the MNLF (that will be) submitted in due time.”

Returning Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, who was not in Friday’s meeting because he was still on his way home from Oslo, Norway after a successful two-day informal talks with the National Democratic Front, told MindaNews on May 30 that he will conduct consultations with various sectors on the Bangsamoro peace roadmap.

Inclusive

 

 “It will have to be inclusive of all Moro fronts,” Dureza said, referring to the MILF and MNLF.

He said he is optimistic of the outcome of the unity talks brokered by the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 2010 which led to an agreement between the MNLF and the MILF leaders that eventually led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Coordination Forum (BCF).

Only the MNLF under Alonto was represented in Friday’s meeting but the factions under Misuari, Muslimin Sema and several others, were not.

Misuari’s spokesperson Randolph Parcasio told MindaNews on Saturday that Duterte was going to meet with Misuari in Sulu “in due time.”

Sema told MindaNews also on Saturday that they are waiting for the OIC to convene the but “we are talking with the MILF on the issue of convergence of all signed agreements with the GPH under one autonomy law hinged on the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and 1996 Final Peace Agreement without abandoning the (MILF’s) CAB.” He said he hopes this would be tackled in the next BCF meeting.

Sema had earlier proposed a quadripartite talks involving the government, MNLF, MILF and the OIC “and under the present circumstance with the federalist thrust of President Duterte, the quadripartite talks will fit in well.” (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)</s>RANSOM PAID. President Rodrigo Dutere updates reporters on Norwegian kidnap victim Kjartan Sekkingstad, who is being held by the Abu Sayyaf, on August 25, 2016. Photo by Editha Caduaya/ Rappler

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Abu Sayyaf group has received a P50-million ransom payment for its Norwegian hostage, Kjartan Sekkingstad, but the group has not yet released him as it reportedly wants to get even "more" money, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday, August 25.

"They kept on postponing it [the release] because of the huge sum of money. Millions. 'Yung Norwegian, bayad na 'yon (Ransom has been paid for the Norwegian)," Duterte told reporters on Thursday morning.

Duterte would not respond directly to questions on who paid ransom for Sekkingstad and joked, "Hindi ko alam saang banko (I don't know which bank)."

Sekkingstad is the only remaining Abu Sayyaf captive from the group of 4 abducted in Samal Island in Davao del Norte in September 2015.

Only one person in that group had been set free, so far – Filipina Marites Flor. Her boyfriend, Robert Hall, and fellow Canadian John Ridsdel were beheaded after the deadline for their ransom payment lapsed in June and April, respectively. The Canadian government is observing a no-ransom policy.

On June 25, Norwegian Ambassador Erik Forner went to see Duterte during the release of kidnap victim Flor. The two leaders talked about negotiating for the release of Sekkingstad.

On Wednesday Duterte sent the 69th Army battalion to Jolo, Sulu, as part of his vow to "crush" the Abu Sayyaf, after the group beheaded its teenage captive that day. – Rappler.com</s>DAVAO CITY — Now that the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines is moving forward, President Rodrigo Duterte said the government troops will focus on how to solve the perennial problem of illegal drugs trade and extremism in the country.

“Wala tayong NPA, MNLF is medyo silent and MILF has agreed to talk. So we have this time to concentrate on the fronts sa drugs pati doon sa extremism. (We do not have the New People’s Army. The Moro National Liberation Front is quite silent and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has agreed to talk. So we have this time to concentrate on the fronts of drugs and extremism),” Duterte said during his speech at the 10th year anniversary of the Eastern Mindanao Command inside the Naval Station Felix Apolinario in Panacan, here Friday night, August 26.

Duterte said the present peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines has presented a “window” of opportunity.

He said the government can manage the number of the extremist group, pertaining to the Abu Sayyaf Group. “Definitely the Abu Sayyaf is out of control and there is only one way to do it.”

Duterte said he had the respect for the ASG members who we were “fighting for freedom” but unfortunately lost because of the ideology of terrorism that the group espoused.

“Tama kayo, there was this historical injustice committed against the Moro people (You were right, there was this historical injustice committed against the Moro people),” Duterte said.

“Kayong mga Abu Sayyaf noon, medyo sumasaludo ako. But when you began to slaughter people in front of the camera, and then now you kill an innocent boy, nawala ang respeto ko sa inyo (I somewhat salute Abu Sayyaf members before, but when you began to slaughter people in front of the camera, and then now you kill an innocent boy, you lost my respect),” he said.

The ASG reportedly beheaded 18-year-old Patrick Almodovar on Wednesday, August 24, after his family failed to meet the deadline to pay the ransom amounting to P1 million.

Duterte said he would not hesitate to order both the military and the police to destroy the Abu Sayyaf Group.

“Destroy them because they are criminals,” Duterte said. He added that there will never be peace in the area if the ASG remains.

“Even if we grant them autonomy and they remain to be bandits, we will never have peace in that land. So, useless ang ating peace talks,” he said.

At least 1,000 soldiers from the 10th Infantry Division here were sent to Jolo, Sulu to step up government’s ongoing campaign against the Abu Sayyaf.

The 69th Infantry Battalion and the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion will be part of some 15 battalions to be deployed in the area of Western Mindanao Command.

In his fight against illegal drugs, Duterte said he has given the government troops all that they need for the anti-drug campaign.

Duterte also agreed for the postponement of the barangay elections to avoid having politicians funded by drug cartels.

“Do you know the reason why I also agreed with congress, some Congressman, to postpone the barangay elections? Do you know why? Because I am afraid that the drug money will seep into the electoral process. You will just be adding to our headache, those that are funded by drug money will win,” Duterte said.

Given the severity of the problem, Duterte said it would entail a declaration of Martial to eliminate all problems. He, however, stressed that he will not invoke such, but instead vowed to solve the problems within the limit of his powers as President.

“At kailangan mo ng mag-Martial Law para to eliminate all. Which I will never do in the first place,” he said. (davaotoday.com)</s>When he was campaigning in the President election, naive and ignorant media around the world were competing in tarnishing has image In their wrong prophecy, Rodrigo Duterte was not going to win. There had been dozens of ill-motivated propaganda against him. But we, in Weekly Blitz never got puzzled or misled at all. We knew, patriotic and peace-loving people of Philippine will definitely vote for Mr. Duterte. Because they were tired of the chaotic and corruption plagued democracy. They were tired of bandits like Ferdinand Marcos and his Successors. Filipinos were tired of rampant corruption of politicians, civil servants and members of law enforcement agencies. They were tired of massive spread of narcotics and drugs, which were destroying the society, especially younger generation.

Filipinos knew how the local casinos were becoming safe haven of illegal money. How millions and billions of black money were entering Philippines, while the poor were becoming poorer. jobless people were almost compelled in joining drug rackets just for the sake of earning few Pesos for survival. Even bank executives like Maia Santos Deguito had to join hands with international money thieves, may be for a better or ‘comfortable’ future. We do think, Maia Deguito is just a small fry in the stealing of USD 81 million from Bangladesh Bank. There are big fishes inside the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation and casinos in Philippine. We strongly believe, more ‘cats’ will be out of the bag soon. Special thanks to The Inquirer newspaper for exposing this story.

People ask, will President Rodrigo Duterte be the Mahathir Mohamad of Philippine? With confidence we can say- yes he will be. We also hope, the communist guerrillas will sit for a peaceful settlement as insurgencies won’t bring anything good to them. They should look into the world history to know insurgencies of LTTE (in Sri Lanka) or IRA (in Ireland) had to finally get defeated and eliminated. If communist guerrillas think they have path of destruction and terror and help President Duterte in transforming Philippine as the land of prosperity, peace and smile.

President Duterte’s noble battle against corruption, drug & crime is no easy task. Because those evil forces might have used a part of their evil money in buying politicians, rights groups, media and civil-military administration. They have ‘lobbyists’ in various countries in the West, who would try portraying Mr. Duterte’s good battle and noble efforts as ‘cruel’, ‘inhuman’ or they may continue propaganda claiming human rights are being violated in today’s Philippines. They may hire media to show pictures of spouses of drug peddlers crying on the street hugging dead body.

But, of course, there are media who wont be purchased and they will support president Rodrigo Duterte and his noble mission. The Philippine authorities need as much information they can as to how drugs (such as ice pill, yaba or meth) are entering the country. Through which route and methods. They also need information on corrupt individuals and trails of their wealth.

Weekly Blitz, as an investigative newspaper will continue to look for such information through its contacts around the world and will publish. We call upon everyone to send us information on corruption, black money, drugs, terrorists, militants etc. We always shall keep our sources undisclosed.

We also welcome scoops, data and documents from Wikileaks, IFIJ and everyone else around the world. Blitz, as a newspaper shall continue to support genuine statesman and courageous leaders like President Rodrigo Duterte and other.

Keep eyes on Weekly Blitz for unbiased, unmolested and exclusive reports and analysis. Please LIKE us @ Facebook and Twitter.</s>Muslim extremists supporting the Islamic State group have freed eight fellow militants in a daring attack that also allowed 15 other inmates to escape from a provincial jail in the southern Philippines.

About 20 heavily armed fighters of the Maute militant group stormed the Lanao del Sur provincial jail in Marawi city before nightfall, disarmed the guards and rescued their eight comrades. The attackers also seized two rifles from guards, police said.

The eight who escaped were arrested a week ago when they were caught with a homemade bomb in van at a security checkpoint. The others who escaped, apparently to divert the attention of authorities, were facing murder and illegal drugs charges.

The Maute group is a new band of armed Muslim radicals who have pledged allegiance to Islamic State and use black flags with logos of the Middle East-based extremists.

Based in Lanao del Sur’s Butig town, the militants have attacked army troops and beheaded a soldier and two kidnapped workers earlier this year. Before being killed, the two workers were made to wear orange shirts similar to beheading victims of the Islamic State group.

A number of Muslim armed groups in the southern Philippines, including some commanders of the violent Abu Sayyaf, have pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group. The military has tried to play down their actions, saying there has been no evidence of an active collaboration between the foreign extremists and Filipino militants who are aiming to prop up their image and secure badly needed funds amid years of battle setbacks.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in June, has pursued peace talks with two large Muslim rebel groups, but has ordered troops to destroy the Abu Sayyaf and other hard-line militants.

Troops have continued on-and-off offensives against the Maute militants in Butig in Lanao del Sur, a predominantly Muslim province, about 520 miles south of Manila.

A major offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu province’s mountainous Patikul town, also in the south, has killed at least 19 militants, including an influential commander, Mohammad Said, who used the nom de guerre Amah Maas, his two sons, and another ranking fighter, Latip Sapie, military officials said.

Said, who had severed arms and was among the most senior Abu Sayyaf commanders, had been implicated in the kidnappings of several Filipinos and foreigners.</s>Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, who recently issued orders to the country's armed forces to eliminate Abu Sayyaf, mistakenly revealed that they paid a ransom to the militant group for the release of Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad. In what appeared to be a slip of the tongue, Duterte said 50m Philippines peso (£816,098, $1m) was paid to Abu Sayyaf.

The accidental revelation came when the president was addressing a news conference in his hometown of Davao City on Wednesday (24 August) night. He was answering queries about the recent beheading of an Abu Sayyaf captive in Sulu province.

So far, the Filipino government has maintained that it has a policy of not surrendering to kidnappers' demands. However, the latest revelation by the president himself has raised concerns about the country's stand against Abu Sayyaf, which has pledged allegiance to international terrorist group Islamic State (Isis).

Journalists when asked Duterte whether he was aware of the beheading on Tuesday (23 August) in Sulu, he retorted: "If that's the one, then I will accuse the Abu Sayyaf of acting in bad faith. They have been paid 50,000 Philippine Pseso already." He then corrected himself and said the ransom amount was 50m Philippine peso, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.

Duterte apparently thought that the journalists were referring to the Norwegian hostage who has still not been released by Abu Sayyaf from captivity, while the question actually referred to the beheading of 18-year-old Patrick James Almodovar, who was abducted on 16 July from a village in Jolo Island in southwest Philippines. The boy was kidnapped by the Ajang-Ajang faction of Abu Sayyaf .

However, the president soon realised that he had disclosed a piece of information that should have been a secret, and immediately changed the course of the interaction by reasserting his resolve to fight the militant group. "Destroy them. Period," he said.

The president declined to divulge any more information about the ransom payment. When asked where the money came from, he only said: "Maybe from my bank."</s>When he was campaigning in the President election, naive and ignorant media around the world were competing in tarnishing has image In their wrong prophecy, Rodrigo Duterte was not going to win. There had been dozens of ill-motivated propaganda against him. But we, in Weekly Blitz never got puzzled or misled at all. We knew, patriotic and peace-loving people of Philippine will definitely vote for Mr. Duterte. Because they were tired of the chaotic and corruption plagued democracy. They were tired of bandits like Ferdinand Marcos and his Successors. Filipinos were tired of rampant corruption of politicians, civil servants and members of law enforcement agencies. They were tired of massive spread of narcotics and drugs, which were destroying the society, especially younger generation.

Filipinos knew how the local casinos were becoming safe haven of illegal money. How millions and billions of black money were entering Philippines, while the poor were becoming poorer. jobless people were almost compelled in joining drug rackets just for the sake of earning few Pesos for survival. Even bank executives like Maia Santos Deguito had to join hands with international money thieves, may be for a better or ‘comfortable’ future. We do think, Maia Deguito is just a small fry in the stealing of USD 81 million from Bangladesh Bank. There are big fishes inside the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation and casinos in Philippine. We strongly believe, more ‘cats’ will be out of the bag soon. Special thanks to The Inquirer newspaper for exposing this story.

People ask, will President Rodrigo Duterte be the Mahathir Mohamad of Philippine? With confidence we can say- yes he will be. We also hope, the communist guerrillas will sit for a peaceful settlement as insurgencies won’t bring anything good to them. They should look into the world history to know insurgencies of LTTE (in Sri Lanka) or IRA (in Ireland) had to finally get defeated and eliminated. If communist guerrillas think they have path of destruction and terror and help President Duterte in transforming Philippine as the land of prosperity, peace and smile.

President Duterte’s noble battle against corruption, drug & crime is no easy task. Because those evil forces might have used a part of their evil money in buying politicians, rights groups, media and civil-military administration. They have ‘lobbyists’ in various countries in the West, who would try portraying Mr. Duterte’s good battle and noble efforts as ‘cruel’, ‘inhuman’ or they may continue propaganda claiming human rights are being violated in today’s Philippines. They may hire media to show pictures of spouses of drug peddlers crying on the street hugging dead body.

But, of course, there are media who wont be purchased and they will support president Rodrigo Duterte and his noble mission. The Philippine authorities need as much information they can as to how drugs (such as ice pill, yaba or meth) are entering the country. Through which route and methods. They also need information on corrupt individuals and trails of their wealth.

Weekly Blitz, as an investigative newspaper will continue to look for such information through its contacts around the world and will publish. We call upon everyone to send us information on corruption, black money, drugs, terrorists, militants etc. We always shall keep our sources undisclosed.

We also welcome scoops, data and documents from Wikileaks, IFIJ and everyone else around the world. Blitz, as a newspaper shall continue to support genuine statesman and courageous leaders like President Rodrigo Duterte and other.

Keep eyes on Weekly Blitz for unbiased, unmolested and exclusive reports and analysis. Please LIKE us @ Facebook and Twitter.</s>MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine troops killed at least 11 Abu Sayyaf militants, including an influential commander, in an assault on the extremists Friday following their beheading of a captive whose family was too poor to pay ransom, the military said.

Regional military commander Maj. Filemon Tan said 17 soldiers were wounded when hundreds of army troops surrounded a vast jungle area in Sulu province's mountainous Patikul town and clashed with scattered groups of about 100 militants.

Among the 11 dead militants was Amah Maas, a longtime commander of the group who had severed arms and had been implicated in ransom kidnappings, including of European tourists.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the troops to destroy the militants in their jungle bases after the extremists on Wednesday beheaded a Filipino teenager, Patrick James Aldovar, who was abducted near a police camp in Sulu's main Jolo town last month.

"The order of the president is to search and destroy the Abu Sayyaf so that's what we are doing," Tan said, adding more than 1,200 troops, including special forces commandos, were involved in the assaults in Patikul and other Sulu hinterlands.

Thousands of reinforcement troops have been flown by C130 cargo planes to Sulu and nearby Basilan island to help in the ongoing offensive. Many of the troops were freed up from other combat zones in the country after Duterte declared an indefinite ceasefire last week with communist rebels, who are engaged in peace talks with the government brokered by Norway.

The Abu Sayyaf has been blacklisted as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the Philippines for deadly bombings, kidnappings and beheadings. Without any known foreign funding, the extremists have relied on ransom kidnappings, extortion and other acts of banditry and some commanders have pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group partly in the hope of obtaining funds.

The militants are still holding several foreign and local hostages in their jungle bases, including Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, who was kidnapped along with two Canadian men and a Filipino woman from a southern marina in September last year. The Canadians were beheaded after huge ransom demands were not met and the woman was freed before Duterte assumed the presidency on June 30.

During a news conference Thursday, Duterte suggested the militants may be continuing to hold Sekkingstad despite being paid a 50 million-peso ransom ($1-million) for his freedom.

Around the time the ransom was paid, the Filipino captive from the marina, Marites Flor, was instead freed by the Abu Sayyaf, two security officers told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the hostage talks publicly.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the government was not involved with the payment and added the money was raised by "third parties," which he did not identify. The government, he said, maintains a no-ransom policy in resolving kidnappings.

"We don't encourage," he said. "If they make negotiations, that is their negotiation."</s>Philippine security officials killed six members of militant group Abu Sayyaf on Friday including one involved in the kidnapping of two Canadians who were beheaded in the troubled south, the military said.

A military spokesman said soldiers clashed with 100 members of notorious kidnap-for-ransom gang Abu Sayyaf as troops carried out President Rodrigo Duterte's orders to "destroy" the militants.

In April and June, the group beheaded two Canadian tourists after ransom demands were not met. They were among four people kidnapped from the southern resort island of Samal last September.

"We were able to recover (the six militants') bodies. One of them is a sub-group leader of the Abu Sayyaf who was involved in the Samal kidnapping," regional military spokesman Major Filemon Tan told AFP.

Tan said 17 soldiers were wounded in the encounter as the military aims to track hostages including a Norwegian who was kidnapped with the Canadians along with a Filipina who was released in June.

The Abu Sayyaf is still holding a Dutch birdwatcher abducted in 2012 and Indonesian sailors kidnapped from the high seas in recent months, said Tan.

Duterte, who took office on June 30, initially pleaded for peace with the Abu Sayyaf but has since hardened his stance after the group continued kidnapping and beheading hostages.

The military said Wednesday the Abu Sayyaf beheaded a 19-year-old Filipino captive after a ransom demand was not met. Police recovered his head in Sulu.

Responding to the incident, Duterte vowed on Thursday to annihilate the group.

"My order to the police and to the armed forces: seek them out in their lairs and destroy them."

The Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of a few hundred Islamic militants formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network and has earned millions of dollars from kidnappings-for-ransom.

Its leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group but analysts say they are mainly focused on lucrative kidnappings.</s>DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 25 August) – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the military and police to seek out the Abu Sayyaf and destroy them.

“Seek them out in their lairs and destroy them… Ang mga Abu Sayyaf destroy them, period,” Duterte said in a midnight press conference, hours after the Abu Sayyaf was reported to have beheaded an 18-year-old male resident of Sulu who was kidnapped by the terrorist group on July 16.

The Abu Sayyaf had earlier warned they would behead Patrick James Almodovar, son of a court stenographer, by Wednesday, August 24, if the million-peso ransom they demanded was not paid.

“That’s why I am sending the troops there and tell them to destroy (the Abu Sayyaf),” Duterte said in a press conference outside a seafood restaurant here after a near midnight dinner Wednesday with soldiers bound for Sulu.

“My orders to the police and armed forces against all enemies of the state: Seek out, seek them out in their lairs, whatever and destroy them. Ang mga droga destroy them. Ang mga Abu Sayyaf, destroy them. Period.”

Duterte is the fifth Philippine President to attempt to destroy the Abu Sayyaf. Former Presidents Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno Simeon Aquino III had attempted to do the same but the Abu Sayyaf has remained, its kidnapping and other terror acts even worse than before.

Asked how different his war against the Abu Sayyaf will be from the previous administrations’, Duterte replied: “I’ll be harsh. But mind you, it’s not just a campaign-campaign. Go out and destroy them. So patay kung ano yan. Wag na kayong magtanong human rights. Even sa drugs.”

Duterte initially thought it was the Norwegian kidnap victim, Kjartan Sekkingstad, who was beheaded because if he were, “I would accuse now the Abu Sayyaf of in utter bad faith. Binayaran na yan sila” (They were already paid), he said, citing the figure P50,000 but later corrected to P50 million. Who paid the amount, he did not say.

He narrated he has Moro blood, having a Maranao for a grandmother, but abhors what the Abu Sayyaf is doing.

MindaNews later asked Duterte at Magsaysay Park after eating durian with the soldiers, how he will destroy the Abu Sayyaf. “My orders for them: destroy. I do not care if you destroy a physical being or a property there or a cement house. Go there and destroy because they have destroyed us,” he replied.

“But they are also staying within the communities,” MindaNews asked.

“Bahala na. Basta my orders to them, pati yung droga destroy them.”

In 2000, then President Joseph Estrada, a former movie actor known for colorful language, waged an “all out war” against the Abu Sayyaf. His battlecry then was “Pulbusin ang Abu hanggang maging abo” (literally: crush the Abu until they turn into ash).

Hundreds of troops were deployed to Sulu, transport to and from the island province as well as telecommunications were cut off for several days in September 2000. Thousands of Sulu residents were displaced and the livelihood of thousands of farmers and fisherfolk was adversely affected as they could not farm and fish while the military operations were ongoing. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte unintentionally reveals that a US$1 million ransom was given to the Abu Sayyaf terror group in exchange for a Norwegian hostage.