No scaling down of troops as deadline to wipe out Abu Sayyaf lapses

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The number of troops running after the Abu Sayyaf will not be reduced even after the deadline to finish off the terrorist leaders in Sulu lapses on Wednesday.

Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said soldiers will continue their search for the "very mobile" Abu Sayyaf band sheltering Asia’s most wanted terrorists, Indonesians Dulmatin and Umar Patek.

"The soldiers have a mission to finish that is eliminating all the terrorists, wherever they are hiding in Sulu," he said.

About 6,000 Army troops and Marines tracking down the fleeing terrorists are backed by the technical intelligence assistance by US military forces in Sulu.

Soldiers have been stationed in many of the known areas abandoned by the Abu Sayyaf to narrow the possible hiding places of the terrorist group.

Naval blockades have remained visible in the coastlines of Sulu that averted several attempts of the Abu Sayyaf to escape by sea.

Brig. Gen. Ruperto Pabustan, Joint Special Operations Group (JSOG) commander, said Army Scout Rangers and Special Forces troops have been dropped into areas known to be Abu Sayyaf lairs.

"At the moment they are elusive but our troops caught them on several occasions that even resulted in encounters and inflicting the terrorists with casualty," he said.

Small tactic operations are preventing the Abu Sayyaf from regrouping, he added.

Meanwhile, Cedo said the March 14 deadline is just for one particular part of their operation under Oplan Ultimatum.

When that "part" is done, assessment will be conducted and they would come up with a new operation still part of Oplan Ultimatum, he added. – Roel Pareño