AFP: Survivors of Sulu airstrike regrouping

MANILA, Philippines -  Terrorists who survived last week’s airstrike in Sulu are reportedly trying to regroup even as their capability had been depleted because of the offensive, the military said yesterday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said security forces are doing everything to foil plans by the militants to commit atrocities.

“We have to validate our information (that the terrorists are regrouping). That will form part of our operation,” Burgos said in a press briefing.

“We are doing everything to track down those who survived the airstrike... We will do everything within our means to foil any attempt (for them) to regroup and consolidate,” he added.

Burgos said intelligence operations have been launched to determine the hiding place of 15 terrorists who survived the raid.

“Whether the group has consolidated, whether they will be joining another group remains to be validated,” he said.

Burgos, nevertheless, maintained that the militants are now disorganized following the death of Abu Sayyaf leader Dr. Abu Pula and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militants Marwan and Mauwiyah.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Randolf Cabangbang, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said intelligence units and ground troops are verifying information provided by civilians and local assets on the burial sites of Abu Sayyaf and JI leaders killed in the airstrike. “There are so many reports of where the terrorists’ bodies were buried. Our units are confirming the reports,” he said.     – With Roel Pareño