Dinampo on the Abu Sayyaf

Alan Tanjusay of Mainichi Shimbun’s Manila has interviewed several times Octavio Dinampo, a Tausug professor in the Mindanao State University who accompanied ABS-CBN reporter Ces Drilon and her cameramen, Angelo Valderama and Jimmy Encarnacion last June 8 to Maimbung, Sulu where they were abducted.

A week before the abduction of Ces and her team, Tanjusay met with Dinampo in a restaurant here in Manila. Dinampo informed him that his book on the Abu Sayyaf group will soon be out.

Dinampo mentioned about ASG leader Radulan Sahiron’s willingness to negotiate with the Philippine government. Tanya asked Dinampo if he can arrange an interview with Sahiron and the latter said Drilon has made the same request and he would have to give her priority.

ABS-CBN is not commenting on speculations on the particular assignment that brought Drilon to Maimbung, or the identity of the kidnappers. Government law enforcers,however, identified Albader Parad of the ASG as having custody of Drilon.

Following are excerpts from Mainichi Shimbun’s interview with Dinampo last February which gives us an insight on his views about the ASG which the military has described, and media has adopted, as a “ragtag band of bandits”:

Mainichi Shimbun: With the recent deaths of ASG leaders, what future do you see for the ASG?

Dinampo: Before Khadaffy Janjalani was buried, there was already a transition from Janjalani to Radulan Sahiron. Considering Radulan is a veteran MNLF freedom fighter, I would say that the transition from Janjalani to Sahiron will even make ASG a little bit strong at least in Sulu and Basilan, Tawi-Tawi. The experience and respect of the people for Radulan will yield some positive factor for the ASG in that province.

MS: You mean to say people and members of ASG have more respect for Radulan than for Janjalani?

Dinampo: It’s like this. The ASG is bounded first and foremost by relationship…blood relationships, then next to that is geographical loyalty. Before Radulan’s succession (as head), he’s already the chief of staff of the ASG. H is definitely a man to reckon with in the province of Sulu even when Khaddafy Janjalani was still alive. But in Basilan, which is a Janjalani territory, you do not question people’s loyalty to him in that province. Sulu is more of Radulan’s island but now since Janjalani is dead he has a wider territory.

MS: You mean, the ASG will become stronger militarily?

Dinampo: Yes, because Radulan has mastered that territory to his advantage since he was part of the MNLF fighter. One of this strategies that he mastered is the art of strong propaganda among the community. In fact, Radulan is spreading propaganda asking the people “where is the MNLF now? Cohabiting with the government now?”. So if these things are repeatedly asked, people become angry. And they would take advantage of that because we are talking here of mass base support. And my worry is if the ASG should become the next forerunner of the Bangsamoro cause. Because the ASG in Sulu are more freedom fighters, rather than bandits or terrorists.

The Philippine government refused to talk to the ASG because they call them terrorists but in my observation there are segments of the ASG that are involved in terroristic activity but the ASG based in Sulu are not. They are more cause oriented. We should not generalize the ASG as terrorists. Radulan is saying “they talk to the communists but they don’t talk to us, so be it if they wanted it that way”.

Momentarily they will have some setback. It’s understood. A vacuum was created when Janjalani died. Sooner or later they are going to regain and in fact may become more idealistic in modalities. And people in these areas where they operate are gullible to propaganda and therefore they are going to gain more followers. There is a saying that if they lost 10 today, next month they would become 30. Another, the MNLF fighters are still around. The GRP-MNLF peace agreement was a failure. These fighters can join the ASG anytime.

MS: What was the significance of these development to the Islamic movement in Southeast Asia region, if there is?

Dinampo: The Philippine and US government are trying to create local armed conflict…liberation movement into a global perspective. They are thinking that this local ASG is linked to Al Qaeda, to Jemaah Islamiyah and to any terrorist organization in the world. There were some informal compacts with Dulmatin or Patek or the six million pesos donation by Khalifa to Janjalani for helping him in recruiting mujahideen fighters for Afghanistan but there is no formal relations there or there was no continuum basis.

The ASG is movement which we call locally as Al Harakatul Al Islamiya is a locally- grown organization that started as a reaction to the ongoing operation against the Bangsamoro people. So they created and established this Islamic movement Al Harakatul Al Islamiya. They never created this so-called ASG. This ASG is the creation of the Philippine military. Khaddafy Janjalani has revealed that the ASG is scheme of the military to penetrate the Islamic movement.

I don’t agree (that they are a terrorist organization). If Dulmatin and Patek are with them it’s only incidental because they are being hunted by the U.S. It is a tradition among mujahideen fighters to extend help to their fellow mujahideen who are in need of help. But it does not mean they are already linked. This is my own reading and my own analysis about the situation there.