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Posted on 06/10/2002 12:44:24 PM PDT by spald
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June 11, 2002 |
| Gracia flies out of RP, calls for justice |
MANILA -- US missionary Gracia Burnham, widowed at the end of a year-long hostage ordeal, urged the Philippines Monday to bring to justice her rebel captors as she flew home to be reunited with her three children. Wheel-chair bound and with her right leg heavily bandaged due to a bullet wound, she made a short, emotional statement at Manila airport in her first public appearance since Friday's bloody rescue attempt in which her husband Martin and a Filipina hostage were killed. Manila has insisted that the rescue attempt in Siraway, Sibucao, Zamboanga del Norte was not a bungled operation and junked calls of opposition lawmakers for a revamp of the military. President Arroyo has ordered additional Army reinforcements to Mindanao to augment troops tasked to finish off the Abu Sayyaf guerillas. Arroyo is scheduled to go to Zamboanga City and Basilan Province Tuesday to oversee the ongoing operations against the bandit group and to visit the wake of slain Filipina nurse Ediborah Yap. Burnham, her voice breaking and eyes welling with tears, said: "I return to the States this morning to rejoin my children and to put my life back together, part of my heart will always stay with the Filipino people." "Martin loved this country with all his heart," she said, thanking Filipinos for their prayers that helped sustain them through their 376-day ordeal in the jungles at the hands of the Abu Sayyaf gang. "During our ordeal we were repeatedly lied to by the Abu Sayyaf and they are not men of honor and they should be treated as common criminals. We support all efforts by the government in bringing this men to justice," she said. Information drive The mother of three at times wanly smiled and waved to reporters, but bit her lips and fought back tears when she talked about her husband and her children. She was later whisked to a Northwest Airlines flight accompanied by three family members. She was expected to be reunited with her children Jeffrey, 14, Mindy, 13, and Zachary, 11, on Monday after a transit in Japan. The three have been cared for by her parents during her ordeal. Gracia and her husband, who had been doing missionary work here for the past 15 years, were abducted on May 27 last year along with 18 others while vacationing at a western island resort to celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary. They were then taken by boat to the southern island of Basilan, where the rebels later abducted 21 other locals. The rest of the hostages were either released after alleged ransom payments or were killed. The Burnhams, along with Filipina nurse Ediborah Yap, remained in Abu Sayyaf captivity until Friday, when Army Scout Rangers caught up with them. Martin and Yap were killed in the firefight. The crisis drew international condemnation of the Abu Sayyaf, a group of self-styled Islamic freedom fighters the US and Philippines have linked to the al Qaeda terror network. Government troops warned on Monday that the largely intact group leadership could be planning another kidnapping, although Arroyo said they wanted to flee the country. "I instructed our company to conduct an information drive to the villages which we believe will be part of their way in getting out, to be more vigilant," said military commander Colonel Alexander Yapching. "(The rebels) know the military is on an all-out war with no let-up because they have no hostages. On their part, they might get another victim for the purpose of having a human shield." Not bungled More than 1,000 US troops had been deployed to train and help the Filipino Army hunt down the Abu Sayyaf. Officials said the Americans supplied intelligence data and helped in planning last week's rescue bid. Contrary to some critics' claim, Acting Press Secretary Silvestre Afable said the operation was well planned and not a "botched" rescue attempt. "It was not a bungled rescue operation. This is a rescue operation planned for almost a month. It was in an execution stage of one week. The commanders on the ground had the authority to make the decision to launch an actual rescue attempt and they made such a decision on the basis of their own observation and of their own analysis of the situation," Afable stressed. Manila views the rescue attempt, "satisfactory considering the terrain, the enemy, and the nature of this operation," added Afable. "We just hope our people will unite behind the Armed Forces and recognize that this was a very difficult decision of the commander and a very difficult action on the part of our soldiers which they took at very high risk to their lives and we would like to imagine that this is something that we as a people must be proud of." Afable said government wished that Gracia would come back to the country and continue doing her missionary work. Based on the gratitude Gracia repeatedly expressed in her departure statement, Afable said there was no doubting her love for the Filipino people. US ambassador Francis Ricciardone agreed Gracia was leaving "without any bitterness" even if she has expressed willingness to help Manila crush the rebels. Brave, skillful Ricciardone added there has been no official suggestion in Manila or Washington to extend the joint exercises due to end in July. But he reaffirmed continued US support to the Philippines. "Our work is not over, your government has made it clear that the work is not over. Clearly, wrapping up the last remnant of the terrorist, criminal gang will be important for your government to accomplish," he said. "If there is anything we can do to assist, we are going to do that." He also lashed back at critics for suggesting that the rescue attempt was unsuccessful because it led to the deaths of two hostages. "It is very clear to us, there is no moral ambiguity here. No one should try to suggest that this was bungled or botched in any way. These guys were heroes and they were brave and they were skillful," Ricciardone said. "In terms of criminal culpability, the Abu Sayyaf is culpable and we stand behind your government in bringing them to justice." Arroyo had said over the weekend that Abu Sayyaf's leaders are looking for a way to leave the Philippines, and urged its Southeast Asian neighbors to deny them sanctuary. Fresh leads Retired general Melchor Rosales, the government spokesman for the military campaign, said an estimated 40-60 Abu Sayyaf gunmen were "still in the general area of Sirawai" town on the Zamboanga peninsula. Military units are being redeployed "to bring them to the area of operations to carry out the mission," he told reporters in Manila. Gracia, the 43-year-old Wichita, Kansas native, already gave military officials fresh leads that could help hunt down the guerrillas. Operations are also being stepped up in the Abu Sayyaf strongholds of Basilan and Jolo islands, Rosales added. Yapching said there was "a great possibility" the kidnappers would try to leave Sirawai and head for open seas. Colonel Fredesvindo Covarrubias said local police have been alerted over possible fresh kidnappings. Residents have been warned to look out for strangers and avoid going out at night. The Abu Sayyaf is notorious for kidnapping Christians and foreigners and holding them for ransom, with hostages frequently used as shields to protect the rebels from government military assaults. Ordinary peasants are often seized to further deter attacks. Also on Monday, the justice department said the authorities are closely watching the country's ports to prevent the escape of five Abu Sayyaf leaders. Justice Secretary Hernando Perez ordered immigration officials to arrest Amir Khadafi Abubaker Janjalani, Jainal Antel Sali, Aldam Tilao, Isnilon Totoni Hapilon and Hamsitaji Marusi Sali if they attempt to pass through airports and other ports of entry, aides said. The US government has already offered a five million-dollar bounty on the heads of all five. (Sunnex/AFP) |
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They're not common criminals. They're animals. See this.
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