No holidays vs ASG

If the terrorist ASG thinks we have operations holiday, they are terribly mistaken.

The military will not make a downshift in its pursuit of the dreaded Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

This was the statement by Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs chief BGen. Edgard Arevalo following the military’s rescue of two of the three Indonesian hostages held by the bandits last Sunday.

“If the terrorist ASG thinks we have operations holiday, they are terribly mistaken. We will not stop hunting them down until we have neutralized them and freed the victims they detain for money,” Arevalo said.

The hostaged foreigners were able to flee from their captors while a firefight between security forces and the Abu Sayyaf was ongoing.

The encounter left one soldier and one terrorist dead.

Troops are conducting continuing efforts to rescue the third Indonesian.

“While we mourn the loss of one of our valiant Marines, we will not be deterred. To him we say his sacrifice will neither be forgotten nor wasted. We will honor him and be with his family to assist its members in their moment of grief,” he stated.

“But the charge against the terrorist ASG continues,” Arevalo concluded.

The rescue of the Indonesians came at the heels of successive military offensives against the bandits, including an encounter with around 40 ASG members under sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan in Sitio Tambang, Barangay Kabbon Takas, Patikul, Sulu earlier this month.

The incident left four ASG members killed and several others wounded.

To recall, President Rodrigo Duterte gave a 31 December deadline to the military to “significantly reduce the strength of the Abu Sayyaf.”

The Abu Sayyaf have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and had conducted various terror operations in the country, including bombings in public places.