Visayas back to normal: Aying

From the Visayan Daily Star (Apr 18): Visayas back to normal: Aying

The Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command and the Army's 3rd Infantry Division have declared all the regions in Visayas back to normal, following an encounter between AbuSayyaf bandits and government forces in Bohol last week.

Maj. Gen. Jon Aying, 3ID commander, said yesterday that the encounter was confined to a coastal area of Inabanga town in Bohol, and stressed that it was an “isolated” incident, although the news caused apprehension among the people.

Three soldiers,including a young Army lieutenant, a policeman , and five AbyuSayyaf bandits were killed in the Bohol gunbattle.

President Rodrigo Duterte conferred a Gold Cross Medal (posthumous) on 2Lt. EstelitoSalduaJr, who led the operations of the 47th Infantry Battalion against ASG. He died during the firefight, with two of his personnel.

The Gold Cross Medal is the third highest military decoration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for bravery.

The Bohol incident also caused unnecessary panic among residents ofBrgy.Inayawan, a coastal area in Cauayan,Negros Occidental, when the presence of a group of armed men was monitored, but they had been mistaken to be occupants of a boat, that docked in the area Friday night last week.

Because of intensified military operations in Mindanao, especially in the Sulu and Basilan areas, Aying said some of the Abu Sayyaf fled to Bohol, to avoid military pressure. If given a chance, they may create diversionary tactics, he added.

Aying, who supervises Army units deployed in Negros Island Region, Western and Central Visayas, that include Bohol, said the ASG went to Bohol “unprepared”, as they were not able to establish a reliable “base”, that may provide sanctuary for them.

Their presence was immediately reported by the people to the authorities, and that led to the neutralization of five of their members, who were killed in the gunbattle, he added.

Aying acknowledged the timely information relayed by the town residents.

He also vowed to wipe out those armed groups, to maintain peaceful communities. “Whoever they are, we will not spare them. They are “salot (plague)” in our society,”Ayingsaid.

He rallied the people, especially those in the coastal areas, from the provincial to municipal level, to organize themselves and set up a communication network, for them to report any presence of armed men, who may penetrate their communities.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2017/April/18/topstory7.htm