Brig. Gen. Glicerio Sua, Western Mindanao military commander, said the soldiers "did not actually go AWOL" but that they had asked his permission to observe the beginning of Ramadan after going down from the mountains.
"Their request was granted on rotation basis as half of them have actually returned to duty, while the other half will be on break for the first half of the month," he said. "The other half will have their break at the approaching half of the month of Ramadan."
Sua said the Armed Forces respects the religious rights of Muslim soldiers and former Moro National Liberation Front guerrillas who have been integrated into the military. — Roel Pareño