No New Year’s Day break for Sayyaf hunt

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Marines won’t cease their operations against the Abu Sayyaf even on New Year’s Day as the militants are still holding four foreigners captive in Sulu, a security official said yesterday.

“There is no halt to the operations. These are ongoing on a normal basis,” said Col. Armando Bañez, deputy chief for Marine operation of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao.

Bañez said intelligence buildup has not slowed down either to determine the exact areas where Abu Sayyaf groups are seeking refuge.

Part of the intelligence work is to locate the four kidnap victims –Australian Warren Richard Rodwell, Europeans Elwold Horn and Lorenzo Vinceguerre, and Jordanian broadcast journalist Baker Atyani. Three Filipinos are also held in captivity. 

According to ground reports, the Abu Sayyaf has kept its groups on mobile to evade government forces following the airstrike last February on the jungle of Parang town in Sulu where a number of its leaders were killed.

Bañez said the Marines have been alerted on a possible attack by the militants on New Year’s Day.

Security operations are also continuing in Basilan to preempt any Abu Sayyaf terror strike against civilian and military targets.

Chief Superintendent Juanito Vaño, Western Mindanao police director, said combat police forces have a standing order to pursue lawless elements without letup.

“We will not stop; operations will go on with the usual manhunt of the targets and we will intensify the case buildup,” Vaño said.