AFP exec: No Halloween break for military offensive vs Abus

From the Daily Tribune (Nov 1): AFP exec: No Halloween break for military offensive vs Abus

Military troops operating in Sulu will not have their Halloween break as Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin ordered them to sustain the pressure against the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group.

Col. Allan Arrojado, military commander in Sulu, said that Gazmin gave the marching order for government security forces to continuously pursue the terrorists.

“Continues (operation), that’s the marching orders to us by the secretary of national defense, to keep up the lawless elements running. So that they cannot flank out, they cannot rest,” Arrojado said.

The military launched its all-out law enforcement operation against the Abu sayyaf last Oct. 17, hours before the Abu Sayyaf group released German hostages Stefan Viktor Okonek, 71, and Herike Diesen, 55.

However, since launching the offensive, the military has not engaged the Abu Sayyaf and managed only to recover three abandoned encampments used by the terrorists in holding their captives.

Arrojado said that the troops have no problem with the order to keep up with the operation.

“It’s really understandable. Because of our current situation, they have to endure…we really need to do our job here in Sulu,” Arrojado said.

“We should be prepared for possibilities,” he added.

According to Arrojado, the operating troops are still in the mountainous areas of Sulu tracking down the Abu Sayyaf.

Arrojado said that alert status remains normal in Sulu.

“Our troops are still in the mountains…we are just monitoring now, we have our intelligence units…the monitoring is good,” Arrojado said.

The Abu Sayyaf group still holds at least nine hostages, including the two European birdwatchers kidnapped in February 2012 in Tawi Tawi and a Japanese.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/afp-exec-no-halloween-break-for-military-offensive-vs-abus