A Malacañang official on Saturday emphasized that President Rodrigo R. Duterte does not condone criminal activities of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is still accountable, under the law, for their kidnapping, beheading, and other criminal activities. Sec. Ernesto Abella. Photo courtesy of politics.com.ph Abella made the statement after the president said in his speech during the Mindanao Hariraya Eid’l Fit’r 2016 in Davao City on Friday that he did not consider the ASG as a band of criminals. “I am not including Abu Sayaff dito sa criminality. You’ve never heard me say ‘mga kriminal‘,” Duterte said, as he explained that “these are the guys who were driven to desperation.” According to Duterte, “there was no sufficient semblance of governance (in the region) and that is why they are pushed to the wall, then they became radicalized.” Abella, when [...]
