AFP expects to wipe out ASG by year’s end

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 27): AFP expects to wipe out ASG by year’s end

The commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Joint Task Force (AFP-JTF) Sulu Tuesday said that they will do their best to finish off the Abu Sayyaf problem in Sulu before the end of the year.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana made the pronouncement in a phone interview, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte visited Sulu for the surrender of several ASG members and handover of loose firearms.



AFP logo (Manila Bulletin)



“Kakayanin natin…. magiging optimistic tayo (We will try our best…. we will be optimistic),” Sobejana said.

Sobejana said, at present, the strength of the terrorist group in Sulu was estimated to be between 300 to 400. He added that the group was still holding 10 hostages – a Dutch national three Indonesians and six Filipinos.

The JTF Sulu commander also revealed that President Duterte expressed satisfaction with the ongoing military operations against the Abu Sayyaf, especially since that there was a huge improvement in the over-all security situation in Sulu.

“Okay naman… Oo, masaya siya na may significant improvement sa security situation sa Sulu (It’s okay… Yes, he’s happy that there is significant improvement in the security situation in Sulu),” Sobejana said. “But of course chinallenge niya iyung local government to also do their part (But of course, he also challenged the local government to also do their part),” he added.

Sobejana said militarily, they have an edge over the Abu Sayyaf but admitted that with the terrorist still holding hostages, the military needs to be cautious in order not to endanger their lives.

“Kaya naman, actually patapos na eh. Ano na lang iyan eh makuha natin iyung… ang priority kasi natin iyung kidnap victims para hindi na restricted iyung ating operation. Sa ngayon kasi with the kidnap victims syempre medyo calculated,. Kapag nawala iyan, priority iyan, the freedom of the kidnap victims (We can, actually it’s almost over. Once we get them… Our priority are the kidnap victims so that our operations will no longer be restricted. Of course with the kidnap victims we need to be calculated),” Sobejana said.

Sobejana said troops just need to sustain their ongoing operations against the enemy.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/03/27/afp-expects-to-wipe-out-asg-by-years-end/