U.S. won't release Abu Sabaya tape

U.S. Ambassador to Manila, Francis Ricciardone, said the United States government will not make public a video that will prove that Abu Sayyaf group spokesman Abu Sabaya was killed in a clash off Sibuco town in Zamboanga del Norte, southern Philippines, on June 21.

"This tape is very sensitive material. We understand the reluctance of the U.S. government to release this for public showing," stated Ricciardone.

"We stand pat on our claim that, based on the video that was seen by the President (Gloria Arroyo), and corroborated by testimonies of eye-witnesses, Abu Sabaya is dead."

Ricciardone said it was enough that the video of the encounter between Abu Sabaya's group and the U.S.-trained government troops was shown to top Philippine government officials, including Arroyo.

Arroyo, top ranking Philippine and U.S. military officials have insisted that Abu Sabaya died in the June 21 encounter.

The clamour for the public showing of the video-tape grew when Cirilo Nacorda, parish priest of Lamitan, Basilan, told senators in Manila last week that Abu Sabaya was sighted several times by his sources in Basilan.

Foreign Secretary Blas Ople said Arroyo had asked Ricciardone to allow the presidential palace to release the tape.

Earlier, the presidential palace said it would request a copy of the tape from the U.S. government.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said public showing of the video footage of the clash in Sibuco will once and for all end the controversy over the issue of Abu Sabaya's fate.

A spy satellite of the U.S. government which monitored the clash, succeeded in recording the death of Abu Sabaya, Arroyo said earlier.

Arroyo explained that two of the government spies who gave information on the plan of Abu Sabaya to escape were on the same boat which Abu Sabaya boarded. They were wearing necklaces that emitted light, which prevented them from being shot at by the pursuing military men, she added.

Arroyo declared Abu Sabaya dead and officially ended the search for his body three days after June 21. His body has not been recovered since then. Abu Sabaya is one of the five most wanted Abu Sayyaf leaders who have a $1 million price on their heads.

The U.S.-Philippine wargames from February to July 31 in southern Philippines did not result in the arrest of the remaining four most wanted Abu Sayyaf leaders.