Alleged ransom payment for freed Germans Abu Sayyaf’s propaganda

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Saturday denied any negotiation or payment of ransom for the release of two German nationals who were abducted by bandit group Abu Sayyaf in Sulu last April.

AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc denied the claim of Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Ramii that his group released the victims upon payment of ransom.

"He can claim that... that may be a propaganda," Cabunoc said.

"We put pressure on them, that’s why we deployed a K9 unit, special operations troops, and snipers... If anyone paid, we don’t [know] from the side of the Germans. What's definite is that we did not negotiate with them (Abu Sayyaf)," he added.

Earlier, the bandit group threatened to kill one of the two hostages at 3 p.m. last Friday. They demanded a ransom of P250 million.

Aside from the money, the Abu Sayyaf also demanded that the military withdraw from Sulu and that the German government stop its support for a US-led campaign against the militant Islamic State.

The two hostages were kept in a remote area in southern island of Sulu.

However, earlier on Friday, the group said it will extend their afternoon deadline by two hours if they receive word that ransom will be paid.

The two Germans, Stefan Victor Okonek and Henrike Diesen, were later released unharmed, the AFP confirmed Friday night. They were found at a checkpoint in Patikul, Sulu and are now in military custody.

Operations vs. ASG continue

Meanwhile, Cabunoc noted that while the two Germans have been released, pursuit operations against the bandit group is still ongoing.

"An encounter may take place anytime. They (government troops) have been in pursuit. We have K9 units. We are just avoiding, in keeping with the directive of (AFP chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang), civilians to be hurt because they (Abu Sayyaf) usually mingle with the civilians," he said.

"We are pursuing them and our deployment is full scale. The AFP chief wanted to show that the Armed Forces made the deployment not just for the purpose of rescuing the Germans. We are thinking about the 10 other hostages as well," he added.

The Abu Sayyaf is believed to be holding up to 10 other hostages, including two European birdwatchers captured in February 2012. The two Germans were abducted last April while on a yacht in the waters between Palawan and Malaysia. — Amanda Fernandez /LBG, GMA News