THE government said on Tuesday it will exert all efforts to bring to justice those who have beheaded Canadian John Ridsdel, even as security forces continue to search for his body in Sulu.
“The full force of the law will be used to bring these criminals to justice,” Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ricardo Marquez said on Tuesday. “There will be no let-up in the determined efforts of the joint Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-PNP task group’s intensive military and law-enforcement operations to neutralize these lawless elements and thwart further threats to peace and security.”
Ridsdel was one of the three foreigners kidnapped last year by the Abu Sayyaf on Samal Island in Davao del Norte. He was beheaded by his captors on Monday, after a third ultimatum for the payment of ransom was not met.
The captors have demanded for a total of P2 billion for the release of Ridsdel, along with fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Hall’s Filipino girlfriend Marites Flor, and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad.
Ridsdel was reportedly beheaded on Monday afternoon by the group of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) subleader Tatoh Sawadjaan in Barangay Lower Sinumaan, Patikul, Sulu.
AFP Public Affairs Office Chief Col. Noel Detoyato quoted a police report as saying that Ridsdel’s head was found by a civilian at around 7:30 p.m. inside a yellow sack dumped near the municipal hall of Jolo.
“He brought this [head] to the municipal police station, and the PNP sent us also a message,” Detoyato said. “Further verification confirmed that it was John Ridsdel. Immediately, the Canadian government was notified.”
The Department of National Defense and police and military officials condemned the killing.
“We strongly condemn this brutal act by this barbaric extortionist group,” the defense department said through Spokesman Peter Paul Galvez.
“This further fuels our resolve for the continuous operations until all remaining hostages are rescued and they are neutralized.”
A joint statement by the PNP and the AFP said the state institutions extend sympathy with Ridsel’s family.
“We extend our condolences to the Canadian government and to the family of Mr. John Ridsdel, who died in the hands of the ASG bandits.”
Marquez said policemen and soldiers continued on Tuesday to search for the body of the Canadian.
“The investigation is still ongoing, and included in the effort is to locate the body of Mr. Ridsdel,” he said.
In the meantime, the PNP chief said operations were also ongoing to rescue the remaining kidnap victims.
Senators react
ON Tuesday, too, the Office of Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto said the next president should hit the ground running after this notorious group.
“If he or she is drawing up a list of criminals who must be neutralized, then without doubt the Abu Sayyaf occupies the No. 1 spot,” Recto’s statement said. “We have a regional obligation to stamp them out and wipe clean this blot on our national image.”
Recto’s statement also noted that aside from the loss in lives, “what must be tallied, too, are losses they [ASG] have inflicted on our economy.”
“Lands are idled by farmers too afraid to till; vacation plans are canceled by tourists who are discouraged by bad publicity; investments are aborted.”
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago warned the Philippines is reneging on its obligations under the Rome Statute by failing to bring to justice the ASG for war crimes.
Santiago, an elected judge of the International Criminal Court, said the Philippines, as state party to the Rome Statute, affirmed that “the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole must not go unpunished and that their effective prosecution must be ensured.”
“I denounce the killing of Ridsdel,” Santiago was quoted in a statement as saying. “This reprehensible act is considered a ‘war crime’ under international criminal law, and we are obliged to exert the full force of the law to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Santiago explained the conflict between the government and the ASG is a “noninternational armed conflict,” “as it is between the Philippines and a nonstate actor, particularly a terrorist group.”
“Punitive laws against war crimes apply in cases of non-international armed conflict,” Santiago said.
Santiago, a widely recognized expert in international law, said the Philippines’s failure to punish terrorist groups, such as Abu Sayyaf, contributes to the culture of impunity.
“By allowing these terrorist acts to go unpunished, we embolden unlawful elements to commit more of these crimes.”
With Butch Fernandez
41 comments
Canadian’s beheading not an Islamic State terror act, says former Australian hostage
One of Australia’s longest-held kidnap victims has dismissed claims the beheading of a Canadian hostage by Islamic militants in the southern Philippines was an act of terrorism.
Warren Rodwell told Fairfax Media the hostage-takers who recently declared allegiance to Islamic State killed 68 year-old John Ridsdel because a deadline to pay a ransom was not met.
“After having issued a final ultimatum all credibility would have been lost if the decapitation was not carried out,” said Mr Rodwell, who was held captive for almost 15 months by the Abu Sayyaf, the same group that had been holding Mr Ridsdel and three other hostages captive since September.
Late last year Abu Sayyaf leaders began declaring their support for Islamic State’s violent caliphate, sparking fears the remote islands of the southern Philippines would become a haven and training ground for a new wave of Islamic extremists.
The severed head of Mr Ridsdel, a former mining executive, was left in a plastic bag on a street on Jolo island on Monday by two men on a motorcycle, five hours after a deadline passed for $US6.4 million ($8.3 million) to be paid for each of the four hostages.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the execution, calling it an “act of cold-blooded murder”.
Mr Rodwell told Fairfax Media the Canadian government, which like Australia has a policy of not paying kidnappers, seemed to stick by the policy “too rigidly” in Mr Ridsdel’s case, and that a message should now be conveyed to the captors telling them the families of the other hostages are prepared to negotiate paying for “board and lodging”.
Grave fears are held for Canadian Robert Hall, 50, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, 56, and Filipina Maritess Flor, 40.
The kidnappers posted videos online showing the hostages sitting in a clearing with heavily armed men standing behind them.
In some videos a long knife was being held at Mr Ridsdel’s neck. Two black flags hung in the backdrop of lush foliage.
Filipino President Benigno Aquino has ordered intensified military operations across the violence-wracked islands in response to the execution.
“Maximum efforts are being exerted … to effect the rescue,” he said.
Mr Rodwell, whose family paid a $93,000 for his release in 2013, said the military had little choice but to hunt the kidnappers, despite the increased risk to the hostages.
He said this would force the kidnappers to stay on the move.
“I saw seasoned jungle fighters go crazy under such circumstances,” he said.
Mr Rodwell, a former Australian soldier, teacher and adventurer, said “things cannot get more desperate” for the hostages, who could starve to death.
“Some other bandits might also want to steal the victims and get a lesser payment for them,” he said.
Mr Rodwell advised Australians to stay away from the southern Philippines, where militants under the banner of the Abu Sayyaf have been responsible for a trail of bombings, kidnappings and beheadings since the group was formed by Libya-trained preacher Abdurajak Janjalani in the early 1990s.
“Names of bandits and groups will change, so any treaties or agreements will be meaningless,” he said.
Bob East, an expert on the southern Philippines from the University of Southern Queensland, said he did not believe the Abu Sayyaf was under the control of Islamic State.
“There has been only one appearance of an IS officer, and this was a cameo appearance,” Dr East said. “The Abu Sayyaf now consists of a number of splinter groups, who all claim to be the real Abu Sayyaf.”
In 2011 an Australian Senate inquiry reinforced the Australian government’s policy not to pay ransoms to kidnappers.
But the inquiry found “extensive assistance” could be provided to kidnap victims and their families. Mr Rodwell said he had “nothing but praise and respect for the Australian response in my case”.
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Philippines is a corrupt country. Do you trust what their police and armies said?
name a country where there is no corruption. is there one?
There is no country in this world that are free from corruption but still corruption in the Philippines are “one of the most serious”, which is “irreparable”. Have you seen the latest ranking of the Philippines in the Global Corruption Index? Almost put it in the same level of African countries!!
There you are, you answered it yourself. None.
Where are you from, so I may be able to assess the corruption level of your country.” One of the worst and irreparable” are just your petty opinion.
Ito ay lamang ng isang basura ng oras upang magpakilala sa tao na hindi maaaring tanggapin ang katotohanan.
“Petty opinion on you but not in the eyes of the worldwide community”. Pssst, sad to our countrymen who are too blind with the reality as they have been influenced by the excessive dose of “Pinoy Pride”. It’s actually good for us to have such pride, but not in the wrong situation like this. With such mentality, no wonder why we continue being made as a laughing stock of the region.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. It’s your kind of mentality that makes you and your kind a laughing stock. All you do is belly ache. What worldwide community are you talking about. Every country have their own dose of problems . . . corruption, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, drugs, migrant/refugee movements, moral decadence, political unrest . . . name it. If you can not contribute actively and positively, just keep your negativity to yourself.
“..and your kind”? Are you not Filipinos? Your word just hit you back. Pssst.
Psst. You can’t even comprehend. ”Your kind” belly achers like you are a laughing stock worldwide irregardless of your nationality. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
BOTH OF YOU ARE DOGS!!! Filipinos are DOGS!!!! I will love to see Filipinos fight and killing each other because that is their culture!!! Isn’t it??????
No. It is you who are the dog barking like sh*t here. Psst.
BRIGHT KA NGA… SINONG MAS MATALINO SA INYO NI MADAM MIRIAM DEFENSOR?..MAS MATALINO KA SA KANYA?.. KUNG TANONGIN..KITA ? NAKAPAGTRABAHO BA SA UNITED NATION YANG POE MO?…
THE COUNTRY WHERE BRIGHTSIDE IS LIVING …PRECISELY THAT IS A CORRUPT COUNTRY….. TWISTING THE TRUTH JUST FOR HER TO RUN….HAHAHA… MAGKANO KAYA ANG IBINAYAD SA MGA JUDGE..TSEK…TSEK…TSEK…SHE IS A NATURAL BORN CITIZEN WHERE INFACT SHE CANT PROVED HERSELF A DAUGHTER OF A FILIPINO….KAHIT YAN LANG..MANIWALA NA KAMI NA NATURAL BORN CITIZEN ANG PAMBATO MO…..KUNG DI YAN MAAYOS…TALAGANG CORRUPT SIYA… CORRUPTION CAME IN MANY ASPECT MY DEAR. BRIGHTSIDE!?
i AM A FILIPINO AND I MYSELF CONDEMN THIS HEINOUS ACT…BUT BELIEVE ME INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY….MANY OF OUR PEOPLE HERE ARE DULL, MEDIOCRE, PARANOID…ONLY A FEW ARE INTELLIGENT AND I BELIEVE A GENIUS IN ITSELF… YOU KNOW WHAT.. GENIUS WHO WANTED TO BE A LEADER IN THE COUNTRY WONT WIN BECAUSE OF FILIPINO ATTITUDE THAT IS EASILY BE BRIBED… YOU GIVE A FILIPINO A COIN AND HE WILL BETRAY THE COUNTRY TEN TIMES MORE….. THATS HOW FILIPINO MANY OF OUR FILIPINO IS DOING….KAYA i DOUBT THE GOOD WILL LEADER WILL WIN IN THIS ELECTION… iF ONLY MADAM MIRIAM WILL WIN… YOU THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL BE PROUD AND FEEL SAFE TO COME TO THE PHILIPPINE….
You may be one of the few dull, mediocre and paranoid Filipinos you are talking about. How dare you insult many of your fellow Filipinos, even claiming you are a Filipino yourself. If you find yourself and a few others easy to bribe, don’t generalize and insult the whole country and many of its law abiding citizens.
You are right. Many of our citizens are STUPID including this one here who condemning every users who expressing their unhappiness towards our nation. Just ignore this idiot with his fanatic ‘PINOY PRIDE’.
# Anyway, I bet Grace Poe will going to win this year election! 😛
Count yourself among the “stupid pinoys and idiot” you are referring to. When you find your reasoning weak, you start bad mouthing and name calling. What a shame. Go back to school and learn some manners.
I didn’t talk to you. Stupid monkey.
Hmmmm. Chimpanzee? Monkey? Chimpanzee? Monkey? Still both are the species of Filipinos. Hehe.
Seems there is another tempted stupid monkey here.
You say so? HAHAHAHAHAHA. Better calling for help on your US daddy.
Whatever. I’m tired talking with two people that are ignorant and trolling here. Better go to sleep. Goodnight and go to h*ll for you two.
Goodnight Filipino Chimpanzee! 😉
Just go back to school to learn some manners and how to communicate intelligently. At your communication level, you’re lucky to make it to grade six. Good night and hope you hear me in your dreams.
wow bright daw siya…. okey fine pungkol ka?!… sabihin mong matalino ang mga filipino at di nagpapabili?. gumising ka brightside!?… even once in my life di ko ipinagbibili ang kaluluwa ko sa isang libo kahit sa isip ko na pwede naman iboto ko iyong gusto ko… ewan ko sa iyo? basta ako honest ako sa salita ko dahil nananalo pa rin ang walang kwentang kandidato dahil sa pera nila?… tingnan mo nga sino lang sa mga presedentiable ang katiting lang ang ginamit sa media advertisement? Kung pinamigay na lang nila noong araw ang pera na ysn sa mga taong nangangailangan? Bakit ngayon lang gumastos sila sa media na iilan lang nag nakikinabang? May utak ka? kwentahin mo ngta ilang bilyon na ang nagamit sa mga politiko na yanng pinagyayabang mo?
Just visiting Philippines last month and I can confirm you that Philippines are the worst country in Southeast Asia! Lots of annoying and bad people who act like a chimpanzee!! Never want to visit this country again!! Better going to feel the beach of Phuket.
Right? I’m really shame with this! I’m apologise for the behaviour of our Filipino citizens.
Right. I would like to apologize for your behavior and embarrassing grammar.
Better have an embarrassing grammar than become an ‘ignorant citizen’. Maybe you are one of the corrupt officials currently working in the government. That’s why you have been feeling tempted.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Now who is ignorant? Better go back to school.
Tsk, tsk, tsk like a monkey. No wonder China called us the ‘FILIPINOID CHIMPS’. Goodnight Chimp. 😀
I think I may be agree with you. But.. As you are also Filipinos, your people are sucks!!!!!!! Butthurt?
F*CK it off!
La La La… You mad bro??? I’m telling you the truth!!!!
Psst.Whoever from China said that was referring to your kind.
Instead asking him for apology, better you apologize to me for your country Chimpanzee Filipinos that just disturbing my holiday last month. 🙂
Go ahead. Nobody ask you to come and stay here.
You mad bro? HAHAHAHAHA
Where are you from Monkey. I might have been in your country. Let me know so I can tell you my personal assessment, as you did.
My country? I’m an Israeli and proud with my homeland. Much better than those poor black ugly face Filipinos who lived in squatters. Your country sucks! Full of crappy chimpanzees!!!!! I think you are also one of those living in squatters. Hehe. Shalom.