Basilan governor wants Army in ex-ASG camp

From the Manila Times (Sep 18, 2019): Basilan governor wants Army in ex-ASG camp

The provincial government officials of Basilan want soldiers deployed in the vicinity of the former Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) camps in Sampinit Complex of Basilan to help protect tropical rainforests along the stretches of a new highway.

Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman on Monday said he also wanted the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) to put up an Army brigade headquarters in the Sampinit Complex.

Salliman said they were planning to make the timberlands and watersheds in the area converted to protected wildlife sanctuaries.

There is now a concrete road at the Basilan Transcentral Road, which cuts through the Sampinit Complex, a common project of the provincial government and the executive department of the now defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The road network interconnects Barangay Tumahubong in Sumisip, Mahayahay in Maluso and Sta. Clara in Lamitan City, passing through mountain ranges where the Abu Sayyaf once ran a Taliban-style government, and held no fewer than 200 captives — many of them beheaded for non-payment of ransom.

“There are still some very short stretches of that road network that remains to be concreted but generally we can say we’ve done it, a challenging role that we hurdled. Thanks to the local communities, the police and the military for helping us achieve that goal,” Salliman said.

Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) vowed to help accomplish the project, whose completion was temporarily stop by the transition from the ARMM to BARMM.

“We can even name this road ‘BARMM Highway’ as manifestation of our support to the Mindanao peace process and our recognition of BARMM as a durable solution to the Moro secessionist issue hounding Mindanao since the 1970s,” Salliman stressed.

He also agreed that WestMinCom should consider setting up the military camp to protect the forestlands from poachers, adding the presence of more Army units along strategic stretches of the highway would also ensure the safety of motorists and commuters.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2019/09/18/news/regions/basilan-governor-wants-army-in-ex-asg-camp/617798/