Army supports Duterte’s plan to deploy more forces in BaSulTa
The Philippine Army (PA) Monday said it fully supports the intention of President Rodrigo Duterte to establish a solid force, possibly a division size, to conduct focus and intensified operation against threat groups in the BaSulTa (Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi) provinces.
In a statement, Army spokesman Col. Louie Villanueva said they believed the plan of upgrading forces in those areas will hasten the neutralization of the Abu Sayyaf Group and other threat groups operating there.
He added that sending additional troops will also hasten delivery of essential basic services as part of its support plan in collaboration with other government agencies.
“Currently we don’t have a division in the BaSulTa area. What we have right now is Joint Task Force (JTF) Basilan and JTF Sulu,” Villenueva said.
Villanueva said hundreds of troops were already deployed in the area in efforts of neutralizing the enemy
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom), said there are still more than 300 remaining ASG terrorists in the BaSulTa areas based on the Joint AFP and Philippine National Police (PNP) Intelligence Coordinating Council.
He added that based on their latest count, the Abu Sayyaf was still holding six hostages -- four Filipinos, one Dutch and a Vietnamese national -- all being held in Sulu.
Besana said troops were already scouring the area to rescue the remaining victims.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said they will create another military division to send to Sulu to once and for all rid the province of the ASG.
In an interview, Lorenzana said they will recruit more people to fill up the division and fulfill the mission of eradicating Sulu of the terrorist group.
“We are going to create another division. We will have permanent presence in Sulu and eliminate once and for all the Abu Sayyaf,” Lorenzana said.
“We are going to recruit more people for that division,” he added.
President Duterte announced last week the imminent troop movement after expressing dismay over a deadly clash between government forces and the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Patikul, Sulu more than a week ago.
The encounter, which left five soldiers dead and several others wounded, was considered a “flashpoint” by the President.
“We visited a wake at Cauayan. I was with (Defense) Secretary (Delfin) Lorenzana and (Interior and Local Government) Secretary (Eduardo) Año. I talked to them and complained about why so many of my soldiers in Jolo are dying,” he said during a visit to a military camp in Bohol.