ARMM mayors remain prone to Abu Sayyaf extortion, threats

From the Business World (Nov 8): ARMM mayors remain prone to Abu Sayyaf extortion, threats

THE AL-QAEDA linked Abu Sayyaf continues to try and extort money and send out threats to mayors in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Mujiv Hataman, the region’s governor, said.

Hataman made this revelation during a meeting with Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. on Friday at the Western Mindanao Command headquarters.

“One of my subordinates was asked by the Abu Sayyaf to pay P200,000.00 a month. Some of the mayors are demanded P50,000 monthly payment to the bandits,” Mr. Hataman said.

Mr. Hataman also discussed the concerns of the mayors that the Abu Sayyaf might retaliate if they show their full support for the military.

“We want to support an all-out effort to decimate the Abu Sayyaf. They are sowing terror in my hometown,” said Mayor Durie Kalahal of Tuburan town, Basilan province.

Mr. Catapang allayed the fears of the ARMM officials saying that they have enough troops in the area to cover the law enforcement operations in the region as well as to secure essential development projects in the area.

“We have enough forces in Basilan right now. We can send forces to hunt down the bandits while at the same time, continue securing the Basilan Circumferential Road project,” the military official said.

The AFP chief said that there are five battalions of military units composed of Philippine Marines, troops from the Philippine Army as well as other special command units which will carry out the law enforcement operations with the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Meanwhile, Mr. Hataman clarified the ‘all-out-offensive’ being pushed by the ARMM officials to solve the problem with the Abu Sayyaf.

“The concept of the all-out offensive is to mobilize everything to solve the Abu Sayyaf problem. This is not like the all-out war during the time of President [Joseph] Estrada during which all armaments were used against the armed threats. Actually, military action here is only secondary. They need to support in the law enforcement operations against the bandits who are threatening the peace in our communities,” he said.

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=armm-mayors-remain-prone-to-abu-sayyaf-extortion,-threats-&id=97514