No to amnesty for Abus

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.

Against policy

Teodoro said any talk of amnesty for the Abu Sayyaf would deal a serious blow to the counterterrorism efforts of the government.

He said the proposal would only send the wrong signal to the international community observing the Philippine government’s efforts in battling the terror scourge of the Abu Sayyaf.

Teodoro said the proposal should be studied more carefully because of its implications on national security.

While being firm against granting amnesty to the Abu Sayyaf, Teodoro said he is not questioning the motive of Gordon who brought up the idea.

“I won’t question the motives. It may be sincere. Let’s give the benefit of the doubt that they are sincere and let’s analyze the proposal objectively,” he said.

Gordon, however, emphasized that now is the right time for the government to press forward and apply a comprehensive solution aimed at ending armed conflict and kidnapping incidents in Mindanao.

Gordon said his proposal to grant amnesty to the Abu Sayyaf must be complimented with good governance and development projects as well as respect, understanding, and acceptance of Filipino Muslims.

“Amnesty should not be equated with being soft. Our bigger goal is to end decades of conflict and poverty in Muslim Mindanao. Amnesty is but part of the solution,” Gordon stressed.

Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Avelino Razon Jr. also expressed his opposition to the proposal. Razon has been tasked by Malacañang to lead the review of the proposal made by Gordon.

“We have a policy in government that we are not supposed to negotiate with any terrorist group. The Abu Sayyaf group… is not fighting for any ideology. They are not really qualified because of the terrorist acts they have committed,” he said.

Razon though stressed the final decision still rests on the Cabinet.

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales also opposed the idea of granting amnesty to the bandits.

Gonzales said the government should not waver in its objective of wiping out the Abu Sayyaf as the Philippines “is no place for extremism.”

For his part, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez said an amnesty grant to the Abu Sayyaf could send the wrong signal to the international community on the government’s resolve to fight extremists.

“It is like giving a prize to terrorists,” Gonzalez said.

“After spending so much, after much innocent blood has been spilled, after many widows created, many children orphaned, this is appeasement, peace at any cost,” he said.

‘Laughing stock’

Lawmakers led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile also shot down the amnesty proposal made by Gordon.

Enrile rejected the proposal, saying such move would make the Philippines a “laughing stock” in the international community.

He said the Abu Sayyaf is known worldwide as a group engaged in “pure and simple terrorism.”

Senators Manuel Villar Jr., Francis Pangilinan, Alan Peter Cayetano and Rodolfo Biazon also stressed the need to review the proposal.

Villar said the leadership structure of the Abu Sayyaf should be looked into before the government decides to grant amnesty to their ageing leaders.

Pangilinan proposed peace negotiations instead of granting amnesty for the bandit group.

“Amnesty needs congressional approval and many would certainly disapprove such proposal to grant them amnesty,” he said.

Cayetano said the Abu Sayyaf do not deserve amnesty because they are common criminals.

He said other Muslim groups and Islamic leaders even condemn the Abu Sayyaf.

Biazon, for his part, warned the government against granting amnesty to any particular armed group just to attain peace.

He noted the government has issued a total of 13 amnesty grants to various rebel groups that included the Moro National Liberation Front, the communist rebels and some military rightists.

“Have we achieved peace?” Biazon asked.

The former AFP chief vowed to block all efforts to grant amnesty to the Abu Sayyaf, which he described as a group with no ideological, religious, and social demands.

Speaker Prospero Nograles said the proposal to grant amnesty to the bandits should not compromise the search for peace and justice.

“The Abu Sayyaf should be brought before the bars of justice, before our courts. If they plead guilty then and only then will the possibility of parole or pardon surface,” Nograles said.

Nograles pointed out that granting amnesty to the bandits is very remote and “legally untenable at this time.”

He explained amnesty could only be granted to political offenses as confirmed by the courts and upon recommendation of the President before Congress.

“Amnesty is a subject that requires executive and legislative action. Amnesty does not cover criminal offenses perpetrated by those tagged as pure terrorists and criminal elements. So, as it is today, amnesty for the Abu Sayyaf is remote,” he said.

Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said the proposal to grant amnesty to ageing bandit leaders is like giving them “retirement benefits.”

Biazon and Ocampo described the amnesty proposal of Gordon as a “poor” suggestion and a product of “bad thought.”

Ocampo, for his part, reminded Gordon that the government, through Congress, gives amnesty to those who are fighting for a cause, which is entirely a different case with the terrorist Abu Sayyaf.

The younger Biazon also said the amnesty proposal would only lower the morale of soldiers, many of whom have sacrificed their lives in the frontlines fighting the Abu Sayyaf.

‘Bitter pill to swallow’

The proposal to grant amnesty to the enemy could be a “bitter pill to swallow” for the military, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner admitted.

Brawner said many soldiers have died and been wounded fighting the Abu Sayyaf.

“Of course it’s only natural for them to feel angry at the suggestion of amnesty,” Brawner said. “They are the ones on the frontline, they put their lives on the line.”

Brawner though stressed the AFP would still follow the orders of their superiors under the chain of command.

“If the President calls for an amnesty, we will respect this, but for now we are sticking with the DND’s order to intensify our operations,” he said.

Brawner said the troops would just have to learn to accept the amnesty, just as they learned to accept their former enemies in the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), integrating into the AFP after the signing of the 1996 peace agreement.

“There was some resistance from our soldiers at integrating the MNLF into their ranks but there was nothing the soldiers could do but accept them,” he said.

While the AFP continues to “launch unrelenting operations” against Abu Sayyaf, Brawner said the road to peace is always preferred over military action.

“If there is any group in the Philippines who wishes for peace, it’s soldiers, because they are the ones it effects most. They want peace so they can return to their families and lead a normal life,” Brawner stressed. –With Christina Mendez, Pia Lee-Brago, James Mananghaya, Delon Porcalla, Evelyn Macairan, Roel Pareño, Jose Rodel Clapano - By Paolo Romero and Jaime Laude (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)