Abu Sayyaf leader killed
Jakarta rivals in tight election race
MANILA, April 12, (Agencies): A leader of a militant group who was directly involved in the kidnap and execution of Canadian and German nationals was among those killed by Philippine troops in a clash on a resort island this week, the military said on Wednesday.
Troops killed at least six members of the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf during the firefight on the popular tourist island of Bohol on Tuesday, but suffered four casualties.
The military has recovered the body of Muamar Askali, also known as Abu Rami, a former spokesman for Abu Sayyaf, a group well known for extortion, piracy and kidnaps for ransom.
Armed Forces chief of Staff General Eduardo Ano described Abu Rami as “a very notorious Abu Sayyaf leader” responsible for several atrocities.
The group last year beheaded Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall. Elderly German Jurgen Kantner suffered the same fate in February when a $600,000 ransom demand was not paid.
The European Commission said on Tuesday the Philippines’ human rights record could influence future trade ties, but denied reports that it had suspended free trade negotiations with Manila.
The GUE/NGL left-wing grouping in the European Parliament said on Tuesday it welcomed the Commission’s decision to pause the trade talks, referring to two media reports.
But the Commission said there had been no such suspension.
“The negotiations are at a very early stage. The second and latest round took place in February, and for the moment the next round has not been scheduled,” a Commission spokesman said. The first round was held last May.
“The EU is involved in almost 20 trade negotiations, not all of them can advance as quickly,” he said, adding that the EU was focusing on talks with Japan, Mexico and the Mercosur bloc.
The Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, and his Muslim opponent are neck and neck in the race to lead Indonesia’s capital, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday, a week ahead of the hard fought vote.
The election campaign — which has been among the most divisive in the city’s history — has been marred by religious and ethnic tension over the blasphemy trial of the incumbent Purnama, who is accused of insulting Islam.
Purnama was on 46.9 percent of the sample vote, trailing his rival Anies Baswedan by 1 percentage point in one of the first opinion polls published since the two candidates made it through a first round election in mid-February.
A candidate needs a simple majority to win.
Prosecutors in Cambodia have charged a Cambodian-American man with sexually abusing 11 boys aged 10 to 15 years old.
Phan Sopheak, a court spokesman in Takeo province south of Phnom Penh, said Tan Saravuth was charged Tuesday with procuring children for prostitution, a crime punishable by seven to 15 years in prison. He was arrested Friday in Phnom Penh.
Police said Tan Saravuth was born in Cambodia but went to the United States as a refugee in the early 1980s. His personal documents give conflicting ages for him of 47 and 57.
Action Pour Les Enfants, a nongovernmental organization that combats child sex abuse, said he told police he was arrested in the United States for sexually molesting boys and returned to Cambodia around