President Gloria Arroyo Tuesday denounced Abu Sayyaf guerrillas as "butchers and murderers" after they claimed they had beheaded an American hostage to mark Philippines' national day.
"This report has not been confirmed. Your armed forces are exerting all efforts to confirm the bandits' allegation," she told several thousand Filipinos at the country's Independence Day parade.
Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sabaya called a radio station early Tuesday to announce they had beheaded Californian Guillermo Sobrero, one of three Americans held by the self-proclaimed Islamic independence fighters in the southern island of Basilan.
"I am praying that this news would turn out to be false. I am still hoping that the Abu Sayyaf's fear of the wrath of God would prevail," Arroyo told about 5,000 people in a park fronting Manila Bay.
But if the execution has been carried out, Arroyo said it "confirms that the Abu Sayyaf is a gang of butchers and murderers who have no qualms about killing for cash."
She said "the people are angry" over the rebels' wanton disregard for the "laws of Christianity and of Islam."
Arroyo, who has pledged to decimate the guerrillas, warned: "Let not those bandits think that the government's resolve is wavering." – MANILA (AFP)
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