8 December 2003 – Foreign Affairs Secretary today lauded military and security officials for capturing the Abu Sayyaf's Galib Andang, also known as Commander Robot, who is wanted for a string of kidnappings, including those of dozens of foreign hostages at a Malaysia resort in April 2000.  Commander Robot was wounded and captured Sunday night in an encounter with the military in Indanan, Sulu.

“Our brave soldiers have struck a deadly blow against terror with the capture of Commander Robot.  We will continue to be unrelenting in our pursuit of these terrorists. I congratulate our military and security forces, who, at great sacrifice and uncommon valor, pursue with vigor our war against terror,” Secretary Ople said.

The Secretary said that he is confident that it will only be a matter of time  before the military will capture the Abu Sayyaf's top leader, Khaddafy Janjalani. The Abu Sayyaf has been branded a terrorist organization by the
international community and is said to have links with the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.

On the issue of how the Philippines would treat requests from other states for the right to try Commander Robot, Secretary Ople said that Andang would be subject to Philippine justice, first and foremost, but that the Philippine would be willing to share any relevant intelligence information that might be obtained from Andang.

 “Commander Robot has committed serious crimes over which the Philippines has primary jurisdiction.  While it may be true that other countries might have a basis under their own law to try him, based on the nationality of some of his victims, we are determined to subject Commander Robot to the full force of our
law,” Secretary Ople said.

 “However, in the spirit of international cooperation in the war against  terrorism, we are willing to share with other nations any relevant intelligence information that we might have as a result of the capture of Commander Robot,” he added. END.