Rogue cops won’t be tasked to hunt down ASG – Año

The 300 errant cops who will be sent to Basilan tomorrow can now heave a sigh of relief after no less than the military chief of staff assured that they would not be tapped to hunt down the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

Gen. Eduardo Año, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), also disclosed that the deployment of the 311 cops from Metro Manila will not be concentrated in Basilan alone.

“Our discussion with the PNP (Philippine National Police) is not only Basilan but they will beef up forces in priority areas,” said Año.

“Their main job is to take care of the town centers, urban centers so that the AFP will concentrate on the hinterlands,” he added.

Año admitted that the arrival of 311 policemen in conflict-torn areas in Mindanao is a big boost in terms of augmentation of the existing police and military forces.

He said the police deployment means more than 300 pairs of eyes watching out for threats against civilians in urban centers.

The 311 policemen from five police districts in Metro Manila, headed by an official with a rank of superintendent (lieutenant colonel in the military), who are facing various offenses from habitual tardiness to involvement in illegal drugs, will be flown to Zamboanga City on Tuesday on board a C-130 cargo plane.

They will then be immediately shipped to Basilan as instructed by President Duterte.

“They are of big help in urban centers especially in manning checkpoints and in the conduct of civil military operations,” said Año.

Año earlier disclosed that they have conducted another wave of operation against the Abu Sayyaf after the latest seriously wounded Basilan-based commander Isnilon Hapilon.

“They are important additional manpower in some areas. And it means some of the soldiers will be freed of their duties (in urban centers) and then we will have more warm bodies to run after Abu Sayyaf,” said Año. (Aaron Recuenco)