Maute Group, ASG share terrorism objective – military

From InterAksyon (Jun 3): Maute Group, ASG share terrorism objective – military

Military officers from various units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday shared just about the same observation and conclusion that the Maute Group operating in Lanao del Sur and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Basilan and Sulu are both Islamic extremists advocating terrorism.

"They are one and the same," said the chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Major Gen. Arnold Quiapo.

However, while they share the same Islamic objectives, Philippine 1st Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Gerardo Barrientos pointed out, "there was no 'interchanges' or 'touring' of members from one group to another between the two.

"Each group operates independently in a very distinct environment, even though both the Maute group and ASG are known to harbor foreign terrorists," Barrientos said.

Barrientos' command is at the forefront dealing with the two terror groups.

The military is back on the battlefront in the town of Butig, Lanao del Sur after the Maute group, led by Abdullah Maute, brother of the slain co-leader Omar, re-occupied territory there that used to be their lair before the military pounced and flushed them out in several days of battle in February this year.

Barrientos has ordered the augmentation of more troops in Butig to conduct pursuit operations. Dozens of fighters from the terror group had been killed, while two soldiers so far have died on the government side in fresh clashes.

"The two groups subscribe to the ideals of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, even though each of them has unique characteristics," Quiapo said, pointing out that the Maute group members are mostly "remnants" of defunct units of the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) with a string of criminal cases filed against them at various local courts.

"Some of the members are just sympathizers forced to join the group because of their involvement in the February clashes with government troops. They are not that many in numbers. In fact, a good number of them have already deserted, for obvious reasons," Quiapo elaborated.

Quiapo declined to explain how the group sustains it operations and logistics, except to say that, like the ASG, the Maute group has also been engaged in "mass work" to obtain support from the local populace, especially from relatives.

The incoming AFP chief of staff, Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya has hinted that President-elect Rodrigo Duterte wants the Abu Sayyaf terminated before he steps down from the presidency.

http://interaksyon.com/article/128611/maute-group-asg-share-terrorism-objective--military