Defense chief tells marines to root out kidnappers in Basilan

National Defense Chief Gilbert Teodoro accompanied by Navy Commodore Alexander Pama of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao pins military merit medal to marine soldiers during his visit Thursday at the 1st Marine Brigade headquarters in Tabiawan, Isabela City in Basilan.

Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro met with top Philippine Marine officials in Basilan Thursday as military operations against the kidnap-for-ransom groups reportedly linked with the Abu Sayyaf and Moro rebels in the island province continues.

The defense chief held a closed-door talks with the Basilan-based military commanders led by Colonel Rustico Guerrero, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, at their headquarters in Tabiawan, Isabela City.

Secretary Teodoro was accompanied by Navy Commodore Alexander Pama of the Naval Forces South Western Mindanao and other military ranking officials from the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom).

He told marines that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave explicit instructions to him through an Administrative Order "to get to the root of these kidnapping activities and to flush and root them out.

"We can't allow the reign of terror through kidnapping or what not to disrupt lives not merely here in Basilan, but in Zamboanga or wherever that be," he said.

The defense chief pinned military merit medals to 15 marines soldiers who clashed with suspected Abu Sayyaf and rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front groups in Al Barka town.

He also joined a military's buddle fight before returning to Zamboanga City to visit the wounded soldiers confined at the Camp Navarro General Hospital in Upper Calarian.

Col. Guerrero presented to him some recovered long firearms, including an M-16 rifle, Garand, as well as ammunitions, subversive documents and identification cards believed to be from the kidnappers.

The defense chief's visit to Basilan came after a series of encounters in Al Barka on Sunday that left at least five marine soldiers dead, 25 others wounded while the rebels suffered three dead, including a commander, and six others wounded.

"Unang una nais kong ipaabot ang sinsero at napakalalim na pasasalamat ng ating mahal na Pangulo para sa mga sakripisyo ninyo," Teodoro said in a brief speech before a contingent of heavily armed marines.

"Nandito tayo hindi lamang para lumaban sa mga kriminal kung hindi magbigay ng leksyon sa buong bansa na hindi natin pababayaan na ang mga kriminal magtago sa likod ng kahit sino man."

"Gusto natin ipakita sa buong Pilipinas na hindi natin pababayaan na magkalat ang mga kriminal dito. Dapat natin patunayan na mayrong Republika ng Pilipinas na magtatanggol sa lahat ng ating mga kababayan sa ilalim ng batas."

"Kaya huwag natin pababayaan ang mga kriminal nag maghari dito. We will continue to fight criminality. We have to put down the carrying of arms, the resort to armed violence to settle disputes, and the resort to arms to earn a living."

"We will finish off the threat. All those who are involved or give safe harbor to kidnappers for ransom should be included in the operations. I think that's clear. Of course (punitive action) is beyond debate it's a necessity."

"There's only one language that these kidnappers for ransom understand and that is for the law to take catch up with them. We have to have a strong and credible deterrent action to prevent their activities from forming," he concluded.