Posted on 03/01/2002 7:15:15 AM PST by dead
Father Cirilo Nacorda comes armed with more than his faith to daily Mass at the Church of St Peter on the southern Philippine island of Basilan. Beneath his flowing vestments the stocky, 44-year-old Catholic priest packs a .45 automatic revolver.
Father Nacorda has good reason to watch his back. He has already spent two months as a hostage of the Abu Sayyaf rebels in 1994, was almost kidnapped a second time last year, and has been threatened with death more often than he cares to remember.
But the parish priest of the town of Lamitan has more to worry about than the bandits whose murderous reign has brought hundreds of United States troops to this wild frontier and new frontline in the war against terrorism. His allegations of collusion between the Abu Sayyaf, local officials and sections of the Philippine armed forces have made him fresh enemies.
"I know there are a lot of people who would be happy to see me dead, including members of the military and some of the leaders here. I am afraid, but I have no choice but to speak out."
Last June, 40 Abu Sayyaf fighters, who days earlier had kidnapped a group of tourists from a resort in neighbouring Malaysia, stormed the hospital adjoining the Lamitan church compound in search of medical treatment.
Several people were killed in the crossfire as troops surrounded the hospital. Father Nacorda narrowly escaped being hit by gunfire.
What should have ended in the killing or surrender of the kidnappers ended in farce. Father Nacorda - whose accusations are backed by the bishops of Mindanao province - says the Abu Sayyaf fighters were allowed to escape after army officers were handed several cases containing about 22million pesos ($800,000) in cash.
"Our problem is not just the Abu Sayyaf. Our real problem is the extent of corruption among the military and local government officials," he said.
"They have been selling arms and ammunition to the terrorists, and they are getting a percentage of the ransoms from these kidnappings. It's good business for them. If not for this corruption, our problems could be solved very easily."
The allegations of a deal to end the Lamitan siege - strongly denied by military commanders - were the subject of an extensive congressional inquiry in August. Nothing more has been heard from the politicians since.
US special forces, part of a contingent of more than 600 US troops, this week began moving into positions across Basilan, a place of dense jungles and inaccessible mountains that favour the fugitive.
The Pentagon insists that it has come to Basilan for a training exercise with Philippine forces, that its troops will not be engaged in combat and will fire only if they are fired upon.
But as the military build-up continued through the week with high-tech surveillance flights and the arrival of Black Hawk combat helicopters in nearby Zamboanga City, there were growing signs that the Americans were preparing for a far more elaborate engagement.
"Perhaps the Americans can help us a little, but there are already 8000 Philippines soldiers and maybe another 12,000 militia running after the Abu Sayyaf and they haven't been able to solve it," said the priest, who estimated that as few as 80 rebels remained on the island.
He said a bigger issue that not being tackled was the role of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has hundreds of fighters on Basilan who are part of a broader movement that has been fighting for decades to establish an Islamic state.
Despite substantial evidence of links between the front and Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network and Abu Sayyaf, the Philippine Government, which last year agreed to a ceasefire with the militants, has sought to quarantine them from its campaign to wipe out Abu Sayyaf.
So far, the Americans have agreed to play along.
What's an "automatic" revolver?
Where can I get one of those "45 automatic revolvers"?
The Philippines, I guess.
Or maybe they’re Vatican issue.
He's a priest. It's blessed. (If, in this case, by no more then an ignorant reporter).
patent
I personally think the writer has no no knowledge of the difference between a self loading pistol and a revolver but it could theoretically be accurate.
Stay wlel - stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown
AB
Stay well - stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown
A what?
Note to self: stop watching those gun shows on the History and Outdoor Life channels. <`):-)
Ping!
The Sydny Herald....Australia, the bastion of gun grabbers. Looks like lack of handgun ownership continues to takes its toll on the ignorant.
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