Military forces in Sulu have adopted a non-violent approach by tapping local chief executives. AFP Westmincom, File
The military intensified its focused military operations aimed at recovering remaining hostages from the Abu Sayyaf group by integrating the serious participation of local government units in Sulu, officials said.
Rear Admiral Rene Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, expressed optimism on the rescue operations after eight victims, three Vietnamese and five Filipinos, were freed within this month.
"We will not state any deadline but we will try our best efforts to rescue all remaining kidnap victims in western Mindanao particularly in Sulu," Medina said.
Government troops on the ground are still going after for the rescue of 17 remaining hostages, seven of which are foreigners.
Military forces in Sulu have adopted a non-violent approach by tapping local chief executives.
Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, provided local municipal executives and line agencies the comprehensive reintegration concept which primarily involves the local leaders to ensure that any Abu Sayyaf members who opted to surrender with firearms shall receive financial, livelihood and psychosocial assistance as part of the intervention for returning to normal life.
Sobejana said the campaign seeks to give any militant the peaceful option than to get caught up in the relentless military offensive.
Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan lauded the efforts of the JTFS for ensuring the participation of the local leaders in the campaign.
Tan said he is hopeful of the new military approach citing that local leaders know their people and the area well and could directly engage peacefully with those Abu Sayyaf members to surrender.
The military said the "whole of the nation approach" would constrict more the Abu Sayyaf group from conducting terroristic activities, including kidnapping.
Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Western Mindanao Command chief, said he is confident terrorism threats would be directly addressed by the focused military campaign.
“I would like to enjoin all the stakeholders particularly the Ulamas (Muslim scholars), and the Sultanate because security is a shared responsibility. It is all our responsibility to keep our people safe,” he said.
Galvez said the forces devoted crushing the Abu Sayyaf group have already been redeployed back to Sulu and Basilan after their stint in Marawi City.
He said security in the southern border has been tightened by the joint patrols of the Philippine, Malaysia and Indonesia.
“If we were able to arrest kidnapping in Sulu, there will be more progress and peace in BaSulTa (Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi) areas,” Galvez said.
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