Sulu state of emergency not needed vs Abus – Rody

MANILA, Philippines – There is no need to declare a state of emergency in Sulu to contain the Abu Sayyaf, President Duterte said yesterday.

“It’s just a punitive police action by the security forces of the government. The magnitude of the trouble there does not warrant anything except the industry of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police),” Duterte said.

Duterte stressed the number of troops deployed in Sulu to finish off the Abu Sayyaf is enough without necessarily placing the entire region under a state of emergency like what former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did in 2006 due to a “clear threat to the nation.”

Duterte made the statement as he visited the wake of the fallen soldiers at the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) in Zamboanga City.

He lamented that billions are spent on arms and bullets that could have been put to better use if not for fighting the Abu Sayyaf.

The AFP deployed thousands of extra troops to destroy the Abu Sayyaf after 15 soldiers were killed last Monday.

Duterte has ordered his security forces to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf, which recently beheaded two Canadian hostages and a local resident whose family was too poor to pay ransom.

Westmincom spokesman Maj. Filemon Tan said an additional 2,500 troops were deployed to Jolo and nearby islands on Tuesday.

Tan said the extra troops would join two brigades already involved in the fighting. He declined to give specific numbers, but there are at least 1,000 soldiers in a brigade.

Tan said the military would be able to achieve the goal set by Duterte, but conceded the rough terrain and possible assistance from villagers were working to the Abu Sayyaf’s advantage.

The AFP has also deployed naval assets in Sulu to choke off possible escape routes of the bandits.

“The deployment of naval assets in strategic waterways around Sulu is in line with the ongoing ground military efforts to deny reinforcements as well as to prevent the bandits’ escape,” AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said.

“That task given by AFP chief (Gen. Ricardo Visaya) to the Navy is for them to ensure that there will be no landing of reinforcement and at the same time see to it that nobody gets out of the province. Our gunboats are already out there conducting sea denial operations around Sulu,” he said.

Complementing the naval efforts against the bandits are the air assets of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The PAF is providing close-air support to the ground troops as well as conducting aerial patrols.

Arevalo said all military units have specific tasking, with the ground assault being spearheaded by more than 5,000 troops.

“We have already enough forces operating under overall supervision of Joint Task Force Sulu in the island province,” Arevalo said.

Arevalo said the AFP is ready to deploy additional troops, armaments and other resources needed to finish the Abu Sayyaf.

Stop the brutality

Duterte, who has been in office for two months, initially called on the Abu Sayyaf to lay down their arms but quickly adopted a tougher stance when his overtures were rejected.

“Go out and destroy them. Kill whoever they are,” Duterte said last week, in reference to the Abu Sayyaf.

Duterte called on the Abu Sayyaf to stop their brutal acts of beheading their hostages.

Duterte made the appeal amid reports that some of the slain soldiers were beheaded by the bandits.

“I really appeal to the Abu Sayyaf not to behead the soldiers. If you are really a warrior, just one shot is enough. I have asked the soldiers not to mutilate the bodies of their victims,” he added.

The military had denied reports that two of the soldiers slain last Monday were beheaded by the bandits.

The Westmincom said all the military fatalities were accounted for, but a bandit had used the cell phone of Pfc. Jison Falcasantos, one of the slain soldiers, and sent a text message to the victim’s family that they had beheaded him.

The families of the slain soldiers expressed their support for Duterte to continue the military offensive and finish off the Abu Sayyaf.

“I wish that he (Duterte) will be guided by God in his plan to finish all the Abu Sayyaf group,” said Janine Dumapias, widow of a slain soldier, said. – With Roel Pareño, Jaime Laude