REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian military Chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo said Indonesian military (TNI) special forces have been ready anytime to set free Indonesian hostages held by Abu Sayyaf group in the Philippine jungles.
"Each operation unit of special forces has been ordered to be ready if Indonesia is given an opportunity to launch operation to set free the hostages," Gatot said here on Monday.
It is not easy, however, as the Philippine Constitution forbids foreign military to operate in its soil.
The Indonesian government still relies more on diplomacy for a solution, the general said, but no concrete progress has been made in that direction.
"Meanwhile, the people pin much hope on the military to take action , and that would have to be responded properly and quickly," he said.
He said if TNI is given the order to launch the liberation mission, a legal umbrella would be needed in Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) to be carried out jointly with the Philippines military.
The Abu Sayyaf group took hostage seven crewmen of a tugboat in June, 2016 and three fishermen in July, 2016.
Demand for ransoms followed with the hostage taking . The kidnappers demanded 200 million Philippine Peso equivalent to Rp65 billion.
They set a deadline and have proved that they were serious by beheading a Canadian hostage for not paying the ransom recently.
The Indonesian government, however, has, while expressing concerned with the safety of the hostages, said it would not bow to the demand of the kidnappers.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has repeatedly said the government would not pay ransom to free hostage held by terrorists.
Earlier a number of Indonesian hostages, held by the same group, were freed without ransom.
Coordinating Minister for Law, Security and Political Affairs Wiranto also has said the government would not compromise with the armed group of Abu Sayyaf.
The retired army general said the threat was directed not only at the hostages, but at the whole nation.
Indonesia, however, has to respect the sovereignty of the Philippines, therefore, whatever steps to be taken have to be on approval by both sides, Jokowi said.
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