Another ASG camp discovered in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Government troops stumbled upon another satellite camp of the Abu Sayyaf group in the jungle of Patikul, Sulu, near the area where the kidnapped German couple had been kept for more than five months, military officials said.

The camp was the third in the area discovered since the Abu Sayyaf group fled after releasing Friday night captive Germans Dr. Stefan Viktor Okonek and wife Henrike Dielen. The group allegedly received a P250-million ransom for the release of the two.

Troops led by Lt. Chester Catapang tracking down the Abu Sayyaf group discovered the abandoned post of the militants about 8 a.m. Monday at Barangay Kabuntakas.

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, public affairs chief of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the camp was around 100 meters away from the main Abu Sayyaf camp that was also discovered abandoned Sunday afternoon. 

Col. Allan Arrojado, Joint Task Group Sulu commander, who personally inspected the camp, said the bunker that can accommodate 10 people was a security outpost of the group.

“We are continuously tracking them as they flee toward the forested parts of the town,” Arrojado said.

Tracking operations conducted by the troops have been slowed down, however, by the continuous rains in the province, the military admitted. 

The military also believed that the group has broken down into small factions or individually to escape pursuing troops. 

“It's possible that other groups have splintered from the main group as part of the tactics at the height of their negotiation,” Cabunoc said.

Cabunoc said there has been no skirmishes that occurred between the pursuing troops and the Abu Sayyaf group since the release of the German hostages.

He said military intelligence officers were also verifying information that some of those Abu Sayyaf involved in the kidnapping of the Germans have allegedly merged with the villagers to elude pursuing forces.

“One of the challenges the pursuing troops are confronting is when the Abu Sayyaf leave their firearms and start to blend with the civilians,” Cabunoc said.