No clashes yet as troops intensify ops vs Abu Sayyaf

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The Abu Sayyaf group continues to evade the government troops in Sulu, three days after President Benigno Aquino III ordered to intensify the offensive against the bandits following the beheading of a Malaysian captive.

Navy Captain Roy Vincent Trinidad, chief of staff of Joint Task Force ZamBaSulTa, said the military mission dubbed as "Operation Plan Gambit" has been ongoing in the areas of Patikul and Indanan towns, known to have strong presence of the Abu Sayyaf groups.

“But so far there has been no engagement yet,” Trinidad said.

President Aquino, while attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nation Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines to intensify its operations against the Abu Sayyaf group.

Aquino's order came in the wake of the pronouncement of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak seeking justice for the beheading of his compatriot Bernard Then Ted Fen.

Fen was executed by the Abu Sayyaf group a week ago in Mt. Taran, Indanan after his family reportedly failed to pay a P40-million ransom.

The decapitated head of Fen that was recovered in a village of Jolo town has already been handed over to the family of the victim following the police's post-mortem examination.

Trinidad said the search for the headless cadaver of Fen continues in the vicinity of Indanan town.

“The efforts continued to locate the body of Bernard but there is no positive result so far from the ground forces,” Trinidad added.