For troops in Sulu, a modest Christmas

PANAMAO, Sulu – There may be no letup in the hunt for Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf terrorists, but for battle-weary soldiers here, there will always be time for a modest celebration of Christmas.

The usual Christmas practice of gift-giving may be absent for practical reasons, but the sharing of food becomes the centerpiece of the celebration.

Some Marines in Sulu also organized a Christmas lantern-making contest using indigenous materials.

Before embarking on their mission, the soldiers gathered for a "boodle fight," military jargon for communal eating with bare hands from a long table of assorted food, and wished one another a happy Christmas and a bountiful New Year.

The night at the camp was eerie, with most of the soldiers still in the field. Those left at the camp spent the night either enjoying a brief moment of peace or preparing for the next mission. Many spent the night sending text messages to their loved ones.

Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo sympathized with the homesick soldiers but never tired of reminding them of their purpose in Jolo.

"Let’s help our organization by neutralizing the terrorists. This is the best gift we can give to the AFP and the people, to accomplish the mission hopefully before the year ends," Cedo said.

The military has been hunting Dulmatin and Umar Patek, suspects in the 2002 Bali bombings, and Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani since August. They are believed holed up in the jungles of Sulu. About 6,000 army and marine troopers are involved in the operation, called "Oplan Ultimatum."

"We want to go home but we have a mission to finish," Cpl. Romulo Digal of Trento Agusan del Sur, said. He hopes his family understands his situation.

Lt. Col. Alvin Parreño, commanding officer of the 11th Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) said his men, who had just come from Lanao, had already been deployed to join the hunt.

"It is a mission that we have to fulfill, so for the moment we have to forgo the regular Christmas break that is being accorded to every soldier by the Armed Forces," Parreño said.

In Maimbung, military officials insist Janjalani, Dulmatin and Patek are still hiding in Sulu and that their capture or death is just a matter of time. The two JI bombers are being sheltered by their comrades in the Abu Sayyaf, according to the military.

The government forces involved in the hunt include the 2nd and 3rd Marine brigades, and the 104th Army brigade backed by crack Special Operations Command (SOCOM) forces.

"There were information that Dulmatin is allegedly in Central Mindanao. That report is not true. And it’s not true that he escaped because Dulmatin is still here," Westmincom’s Cedo said.

Cedo added it would be unlikely for the top terrorists to venture beyond Sulu to unfamiliar grounds where they have no local support.

"What is lacking here is timed information and because the terrorists are always on the run," Cedo said.

Elements of the 33rd Infantry Battalion clashed a week ago with an Abu Sayyaf group that was believed sheltering Dulmatin in Bud Puhpuh, Barangay Tiis Kutong, Talipao.

Lt. Col. Divino Rey Pabayo, 33rd IB commander, said seven terrorists were

killed in a two-hour gunbattle with security forces. The soldiers said the terrorist were armed with heavy machine guns and shoulder-fired 90RR rockets. The military said the Abu Sayyaf terrorists retreated with their casualties. Recovered bloodstained clothes indicated casualties in the Abu Sayyaf ranks, according to the military. Ground commanders said the wanted JI terrorists were on the run.

Troops discovered five caves in Maimbung mountain where the terrorists were believed to have sought shelter. Each cave can accommodate at least 15 persons.

Brig. Gen. Ruben Rafael, anti-terror Task Force Comet chief said the

military is expecting a "high intensity operation," with a temporary hospital now set up inside the military brigade in anticipation of casualties.

"But so far, we have not been inflicted with heavy casualties since the current offensive against the terrorists began," Rafael said.