MANILA - The military on Thursday asked the families and the owners of a plywood factory not to pay ransom to members of the Abu Sayyaf Group that kidnapped three workers, including two Chinese, in Basilan more than a week ago.

Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner made the appeal following reports that the owner of the Hi-Tech Plywood factory, George Tan, had reportedly received a ransom demand of P6 to 10 million for the release of the victims.

“We are appealing to the families of the kidnap victims as well as the company itself and perhaps the friends of the victims not to pay any ransom because if we pay ransom, this will again encourage the kidnappers, specifically this Abu Sayyaf group, to keep on kidnapping people,” said Brawner.

“As long some are paying ransom and as long as they (Abu Sayyaf members) are getting (ransom), they will keep on doing this (kidnapping)," he said.

The victims – Chinese nationals Michael Tan and Oscar Dee, alias Oscar Lu; and Filipino Mark Singson – were seized by dozens of armed men last November 10 at the premises of the factory  at Townsite village in Maluso town.

Brawner said the local Crisis Management Committee is trying to secure the freedom of the victims through negotiations. He said combat and rescue operations by at least 1,000 troops are ongoing.

“On the part of the military, our operations are continuous unlike in the case of Fr. (Michael Sinnott) where we stopped our operations and waited for the go signal of the Crisis Management Committee. On the case of these kidnappers, because they are Abu Sayyaf, the operations are continuing,” he said.

Sinnott was snatched last October 11 in Pagadian City and was released last November 12, through the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.  Brawner said the military halted its rescue operations for Sinnott because MILF rebels were initially linked to the kidnapping.

“First of all, this Abu Sayyaf Group is really a bandit group, we have no peace talks with them unlike (in the Sinnott kidnapping) where we identified some MILF (as involved). That is why, we were careful. On this case (Basilan kidnapping), our operations are continuing since the day they were kidnapped,” said Brawner.