Press Release
April 26, 2016

POE CONDEMNS ABU SAYYAF'S ACTS OF TERROR

Sen. Grace Poe strongly condemned the Abu Sayyaf Group's (ASG) terrorist acts, saying the government should not allow such atrocities to happen again.

"Talagang importante na sa ating gobyerno huwag nating hayaan ang mga ganitong uri ng mga terorista sa ating bansa. Siguraduhin natin na habulin natin sila at mapanagot sila," Poe said in a media interview in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

The senator, who wants all-out war against terrorism, said the ASG should be made to pay for beheading Canadian hostage John Ridsdel, whose head was dumped on a street in Sulu.

Ridsdel was kidnapped from a resort on Samal Island in September, along with fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Hall's Filipina girlfriend. The ASG has sought P300 million for each of the hostages.

The urgent matter at hand is the rescue of the remaining hostages, Poe stressed, as she called on the government to go all-out in its efforts to rescue them and bring them to safety.

Poe said the government should also support all-out development in Mindanao, where conflicts have driven people deep into poverty.

"Naniniwala ako 'yung mga elemento na ganyan ay dapat talaga nating habulin pero kailangan din nating magbigay ng all-out development sa Mindanao. Kasi naniniwala ako mas mahirap makaka-recruit ng kakampi ang mga terorista kung merong kabuhayan at trabaho ang ating mga kababyan doon," she said.

Poe and running mate Sen. Francis Escudero have promised to allocate one-third of the national budget, or at least P1 trillion, for Mindanao development.

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