Philippine President Visits Town Sacked By Muslim Guerrillas
Army helicopters fired rockets Saturday at separatist Muslim rebels who sacked this mainly Christian town, but residents told the visiting Philippine president they were still afraid and pleaded for their own guns.
President Fidel Ramos flew to this dusty market community of 50,000 people and ordered military commanders to “go get these terrorists and protect civilian communities.”
Thousands of townspeople cheered as Ramos, a former military chief of staff and defense secretary, walked briskly through the charred ruins of the town market.
The market was burned Tuesday when some 200 members of the Abu Sayyaf group sacked this city 480 miles south of Manila. At least 53 people died in the raid. Hundreds of buildings, shops and vendor stalls were looted and torched.
Military officials and politicians told townspeople they were confident such a raid could not be repeated, but terrified survivors were not comforted.
They said hostages who escaped the raiders told them that Abu Sayyaf commanders were threatening to return after national elections set for May 8. They asked Ramos for weapons to defend themselves.
“We have no guns, but the Muslims have guns,” said Recoletos Briones, 24. “If the government cannot protect us, we have to protect ourselves.”
Filipinos are not allowed to carry firearms, even licensed ones, in the 90 days preceding national elections.
Homemade signs read: “Ramos, Save Us From Hell,” and “If you cannot protect us, arm us, if you cannot arm us, pray for us.”
The government fears arming the Christian population would play into the hands of the Abu Sayyaf militants, who they suspect are trying to foment religious war.
“By hitting a Christian town with such viciousness, they are trying to get Christians to leave the area,” said Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan. “If they succeed, they will achieve their dream of a theocratic Islamic state.”
Ramos announced at a press conference the government had established “a definite connection with Abu Sayyaf here and international terrorist groups.”