AFP not satisfied with 2014 anti-insurgency gains

MANILA, Philippines - The military is not totally satisfied with its internal security gains last year because it has yet to clear some provinces of armed threats.

Armed Forces spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla noted that Abu Sayyaf bandits are still holding some people hostage and some provinces are still beset with communist insurgency.

“[We are] not totally satisfied. You cannot finish the objectives you set since the start of the year,” Padilla said in an interview Thursday.

“Whatever was accomplished was at least sufficient enough to give us a good score for what we achieved,” he added.

Padilla was asked about the proceeds of the military’s command conference last Wednesday, which tackled updates on security operations.

He said efforts are underway to curb the influence of communist rebels to turn over the lead role of maintaining internal security to local governments.

“More places will be declared ready for development because the concern of government is to sustain economic growth,” Padilla said.

The military seeks to shift its focus to territorial defense from internal security by 2016. The goal, however, is being challenged by armed groups like the Abu Sayyaf, the New People’s Army and lawless groups who seek to sabotage the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The strength of the Abu Sayyaf rose to 423 last year despite the military’s repeated claims that the roster of the local terrorist group is dwindling.

The membership of the group stood at 390 in 2009 and 340 in 2010 before it slightly increased to 381 in 2011. The Abu Sayyaf’s strength was pegged at 398 in 2012 and at 385 in 2013.

The communist rebels’ strength, meanwhile, decreased to 3,200 in 2014 from about 4,000 in the last few years, officials said.

The military has so far declared 42 provinces as “peaceful and ready for further development” due to the weakening of insurgency in those areas. A total of 28 provinces are still grappling with communist rebellion.

“We will be able to declare the entire country peaceful and ready for further development by the end of 2015,” Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. said.

Padilla claimed the influence of terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah has also been reduced. He said the presence of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, the group opposed to the peace talks, has been limited to Central Mindanao.