AFP-backed ASG behind Red Cross Kidnapping?

Sulaiman Te, the notorious sub-commander of the Abu Sayyaf Group, is reportedly the one leading the group of eight men who seized three aid workers of the International Red Cross in Jolo Capital, Sulu Philippines. Sulaiman, as reports say, is also the one who masterminded the kidnapping of ABS-CBN anchorperson Ces Orena Drilon. Latest reports reveal that the victims and their kidnappers are somewhere in the hinderlands of either Patikul or Talipao, two strongholds of the dreaded terror group.

This is actually the fifth time that the so-called terrorist organisation staged a kidnapping of foreigners visiting the island of Jolo. The first time was the Sipadan hostage crisis. It was followed by the Dos Palmas kidnapping, then the Schilling kidnapping. The kidnapping of an Italian priest was also attributed to the Abu Sayyaf Group. Then, this. So, all in all, there are at least five times that the ASG successfully staged a kidnapping of foreigners.

As a former journalist who covered the Sipadan and Dos Palmas hostage crises and an academic interested in the resolution of the problems in Mindanao, I've noticed something very important:

1. First, all recent kidnappings after 2001 have been short-lived affairs. Why is it important to point this out? Because if the group behind the kidnapping is serious in milking every propaganda or publicity value from these events, they will prolong the kidnapping. The Sipadan crisis took months to resolve. Same as the one in Dos Palmas and the Schilling incident. Simply put, if they are serious in showing their solidarity with Al Qaeda, the ASG always squeeze every publicity out of the kidnapping and prolong the time to also lengthen their media mileage.

Second, the kidnappings in 2000 were all propaganda stunts. Unlike the previous high profile ones staged by the notorious group of supposed bandits, the Italian priest and the kidnapping of Ces Drilon lack one signature of the ASG---that of announcing their reason behind the kidnapping caper. Normally, the ASG will issue a statement, saying that this is all about jihad against Christians and "Imperial Manila". For the highly clerical-led ASG in years past, the present ASG did not issue any statement even close to the ones issued by Commander Robot or even that ASG spokesman who reportedly died off the coast of Sulu.

Third recent kidnappings staged by the ASG all involve insinuations of ransom being paid. In previous ones, there were also rumours of ransom. But, these were unfounded insinuations. The Italian priest was released after ransom has been paid. Same with the Ces Drilon kidnapping, money reportedly changed hands.

So we see a distinct difference between the kidnappings done by the ASG in 2000 and those they staged in 2008-2009: new ones are short-lived, lack ideological undertones and always involve money transfers.

What am I saying?

These things indicate or validate earlier prevalent reports from Sulu residents themselves---that the REAL ASG is no more and the group posing now as "ASG" is actually an armed group controlled by the AFP. Why do I reveal this sensitive information now? And what prompted me to reveal this now?

One, as early as 2004 or 2005, there are indications that the AFP already neutralized the core of the ASG with the killing of its spiritual, military and propaganda leaders. Second, the AFP already neutralized old core members of the ASG, including the young contact person of Arlyn dela Cruz. And third, the support base of the ASG has been effectively contained and eliminated by the special ops of the AFP. After the successful arrest of most of its top command, the ASG members simply disappeared, as reports reveal.

So, if the top command is no more and its members scattered or living normal lives in Sulu or in some other parts of Mindanao, who now is this group claiming to be "ASG"? If this group is neither ideological or religious, then, who the hell is this group of this so-called Sulaiman Te who allegedly heads the new ASG?

Just one explanation--this group is a pseudo terror group controlled and being managed by the AFP. Silly or outright illogical? In the military, there is this thing called " special ops." The ASG is one serious underground and special project of the military to flush out the real foreign terrorists making contact with the former ASG.