It's been two weeks since the military launched a full-scale combat rescue mission against the Abu Sayyaf but the troops have yet to find them
FULL SCALE COMBAT RESCUE MISSION: The military has deployed 2 brigades, hoping to end the threat from the Abu Sayyaf Group
Armed Forces chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr was back in
Sulu this week for his 3rd trip this month to the province. Pressure is high as
President Benigno Aquino III said last week significant gains in military
operations against the local terrorist gang Abu Sayyaf Group can be expected.
(READ: Aquino: Expect suppression of Abu Sayyaf in 'following days')
"We will continue law enforcement operations. There is
pressure to produce results," military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel
Harold Cabunoc said.
Sulu is again a focus of military operations. Troops were
deployed last month to rescue German hostages Stefan Viktor Okonek and Henrike
Dielen last month, but in the end the German government preferred negotiations.
The Abu Sayyaf claimed that the full P250 million ransom was paid ($5.58
million)*. (READ: Abu Sayyaf frees 2 German hostages)
"One of the focus of the chief of staff right now is to
turn around the image of Sulu from being the 'Kidnap Capital in the
Philippines' into one of the most developed provinces," said Cabunoc.
The troops started hunting the Abu Sayyaf on October 18, a day after the
release, to rescue at least 10 remaining hostages. It's been two weeks and the
troops have yet to find where the rebels and at least 10 more hostages are
hiding.
The Abu Sayyaf has focused on kidnap-for-ransom activities
in recent years but it has also become notorious for terrorist acts like
bombing and beheading of troops and hostages. Even Sulu residents have not been
spared.
'Adjustment period'
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin joined the trip on
Thursday, October 30. He said the President is asking about the operations
there, but he explained that the troops are still familiarizing themselves with
the jungles of Sulu, where a number of soldiers – most recently in 2011 – were beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf.
"I am here because the President wants to know the
status of operations here in Sulu. We have new troops all the way from Luzon and others from Lanao province. They are still in
the period of adjustment. We're checking how we can better support the
operations," Gazmin told PTV4 in an interview in Sulu.
An Army brigade from Luzon
and several elite units have been sent down south to augment the Marines. Navy
and Air Force assets have been brought in, too, to provide air support and to
blockade the island.
A total of about 3,000 troops are led by Task Force Sulu
commander Colonel Alan Arrojado, who is returning to Sulu from the days he was
a battalion commander there.
On the first two days of the military offensive, they found 3 abandoned camps. On Sunday, October 26, they captured 3
suspicious young men in the "interior area" operations, but they were
forced to turn them over to village officials. On Wednesday, October 29, an 8-year-old hostage was released.
These are good signs, said Gazmin. He attributed the release
of the hostage to the continuing pressure from troops.
"Dahil sa pressure ng military napilitan
silang i-release yung bata. We will keep them on the run so that hindi
nakapagplano. Hindi nakakatigil sa isang lugar itong mga kidnappers. Tuloy-tuloy
ang movement nila. Ina-isolate unti-unti dahil dumadami ang
puwersa natin dito. Napapaliit natin yung kanilang mundo," said
Gazmin.
(They were forced to release the child because of the
pressure. We will keep them on the run so the kidnappers are unable to stay in
one place and plan their movements. We're gradually isolating them because our
forces are increasing. We have been able to make their world shrink.)
Non-combat troops, too
Arrojado said it is only a matter of time. "Rest
assured we will not stop our law enforcement operations even if we have some
small credible results of accomplishments, tuloy-tuloy pa rin kaming mga
sundalo at kapulisan," said Arrojado.
The military is bringing in non-combat troops, too, to
engage the civilians especially the supporters, the relatives, and the mass
base support of the Abu Sayyaf.
It's one of the issues raised during a meeting between the
miltiary and the stakeholders in Sulu, said Cabunoc. Residents in the island,
including children, have always been afraid of the military because the troops
are always associated with combat operations. (READ: AFP chief to Sulu: Sorry for 'secretive' release of Germans)
Recognizing that the Abu Sayyaf threat cannot be given a
military solution alone, Cabunoc said they're also sending Civil Military
Operations (CMO) forces who will work with local religious leaders to explain
to the residents that Abu Sayyaf activities are against Islam, among others.
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