President Duterte boosts morale of troops pursuing Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 12): President Duterte boosts morale of troops pursuing Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu

President Rodrigo Duterte visited Friday afternoon Camp Gen. Teodulfo Bautista to boost the morale of government soldiers pursuing the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) brigands in the hinterlands of this province.

Mr. Duterte landed at Jolo airport around 3 p.m. and was welcomed by top military officials headed by Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya.

The group motored to Camp Bautista where the President held a command conference with the Joint Task Group Sulu to get first hand information on the ongoing focused military operations.

The focused military operations aim to rescue and pressure the ASG to release their hostages in the hinterlands.

The bandits are still holding captive around 18 people, including 14 foreigners who they seized in separate occasions.

President Duterte, after the conference, proceeded to the covered court for a talk with the soldiers, where he reiterated that all their needs will be provided by the government.

He announced that the presidential jet will be converted into an air ambulance to serve the soldiers in the battlefield.

"You can have it, ako magcocomercial (flight) na lang ako," he added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=913246