Militants still holding 25 hostages in southern Philippines: Official

The Philippine defense chief has confirmed that more than two dozen hostages are still being held by Daesh-linked terrorists on an island in southern Philippines.

Delfin Lorenzana told a security forum in Singapore on Monday that 25 kidnapped victims are still being kept in the southern island of Jolo, which is a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf militant group.

Lorenzana stressed that the government’s strategy against militants was a “holistic approach.”

The government is trying to “convince the companies and the families not to pay ransom because every time they pay ransom they make the kidnappers stronger,” the defense minister noted.

“They have more money to distribute to the communities and they have more money to procure all the gadgets that they need – cellphones, firearms and even materials to manufacture improvised explosive devices.”

Lorenzana stated that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been under pressure to declare martial law in at least three southern islands. Many Filipinos want the president to declare martial law over South Tawi Tawi, Jolo and Basilan islands where militants operate.