VZCZCXRO1719
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #1285/01 1100934
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 200934Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6209
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH IMMEDIATE 0722
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 001285 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS KISL RP
SUBJECT: ASG BEHEADS SEVEN HOSTAGES ON JOLO 
 
REF: A. MANILA 1231 
     ¶B. MANILA 1206 
     ¶C. MANILA 1187 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  The Abu Sayyaf Group has reportedly 
beheaded seven Philippine hostages on Jolo.  Rogue MNLF 
Commander Habier Malik remains on the run, but defiant.  The 
AFP has reiterated it is only after him and his lawless 
followers, not the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). 
MNLF Vice-Chairman Jimmy Labuan has called for three-way 
talks among the government, MNLF, and Organization of Islamic 
Conference (OIC).  The USG has granted $75,000 to the Save 
the Children Federation for immediate relief assistance to 
the families on Jolo, while other donors have donated food 
supplies.  Exact numbers of internally displaced persons are 
not yet available, but local authorities are making plans for 
better assessments and distribution programs.  End Summary. 
 
 
----------------- 
Hostages Beheaded 
----------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Colonel Mark 
Antonio Supnet confirmed publicly that suspected Abu Sayyaf 
Group members under Albader Parad appear to have decapitated 
the seven Philippine workers taken hostage on Jolo Island 
recently (ref a).  Unknown elements on April 19 dropped off 
the seven severed heads near two Philippine military 
detachments in Parang and Indanan after the company that 
employed six of the workers had refused to pay a 5 million 
peso ransom. 
 
---------------- 
Malik on the Run 
---------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Rogue MNLF Commander Habier Malik remains on the run 
in Jolo.  He gave a defiant telephone interview to a national 
television channel on April 19, claiming that the AFP treated 
its own soldiers like "animals" and that all he and his 
followers wanted was peace.  AFP Chief of Staff General 
Esperon reiterated in a separate television interview on 
April 20 that the AFP targeted only Malik and his followers 
in response to their attacks on the AFP and civilians, and 
did not intend or wish to go after law-abiding elements of 
the MNLF. 
 
¶4.  (U) According to press reports, Philippine health 
officials on Jolo have said that at least six civilians, 
mostly children, have died in recent days from shrapnel or 
gunshot wounds related to the fighting between Malik's forces 
and the AFP, with at least another ten wounded. 
 
 
------------------ 
Pressure From OIC? 
------------------ 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  MNLF Vice-Chairman Jimmy Labuan indicated publicly 
that the MNLF would not intervene to help the AFP capture 
Malik, and called instead for three-ways talks among the 
Philippine government, MNLF, and Organization of Islamic 
Conference (OIC).  OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu 
has reportedly appealed to OIC members, especially those with 
close ties to the Philippines and MNLF, to use their 
influence to end the armed conflict with Malik on Jolo. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Philippines, which continues to seek observer 
status in the OIC, has reportedly now received an invitation 
as a "special guest" from Pakistan to the 34th Session of the 
Islamic Conference on Foreign Ministers in Islamabad from May 
15-17. 
 
----------------- 
Displaced Persons 
----------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The USG, through USAID, has granted $75,000 to the 
Save the Children Federation as immediate relief assistance 
to the families on Jolo affected by this armed conflict 
initiated by Malik.  The relief items, including temporary 
shelter materials, water containers, cooking utensils, and 
hygiene kits, will go through the Mindanao Emergency Response 
Network composed of local NGOs and community-based groups. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Authorities on Jolo have formed a technical group 
including the Philippine National Red Cross, the Integrated 
 
MANILA 00001285  002 OF 002 
 
 
Provincial Health Office, the Department of Public Works and 
Housing, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, 
the Department of Education, the Philippine National Police, 
the Provincial Engineers' Office, and the Armed Forces of the 
Philippines to determine how best to conduct an accurate 
assessment and to provide effective aid to "permissive, 
semi-permissive, and hostile environments."  There are no 
truly reliable estimates of the number of internally 
displaced persons yet, although Presidential Adviser on the 
Peace Process Jesus Dureza and others have estimated that it 
may be as high as 45,000 individuals.  According to the 
provincial government, the United Nations World Food Program, 
the Regional Government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim 
Mindanao, the Sulu Provincial Government, and local 
politicians Munir Arbison and Sakur Tan (who are running for 
Sulu Congressman and Governor, respectively) have already 
donated rice, noodles, sardines, and/or noodles. 
 
 
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/ 
KENNEY