The saga of heroism among Pinoy soldiers

It is with much awe and admiration as I listened to our brave Marines and Army Special Forces as they recounted to media what could have been the fatal moments in their lives while in close quarter gunfight with Abu Sayyaf bandits in the jungles of Sulu.

The confirmation of the deaths of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khaddafy Janjalani and Abu Sayyaf spokesman Jainal Antel Sali Jr., a.k.a. Abu Solaiman, slain one after the other by our troopers, were the top news and definitely the biggest hauls for the AFP since they launched their intensified campaign against this bandit group. More importantly, the AFP dealt major blows to this Muslim extremists responsible for the series of bombings and kidnap-slayings of Western nationals in the past.

These gallant soldiers were thrust to the limelight to share their experience in the battlefield that fortunately turned to be their moments of glory. They emerged victorious after fierce fighting against the notorious kidnap-for-ransom bandits group in Sulu. I could not begrudge the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, headed by AFP chief of staff Gen.Hermogenes Esperon Jr., if they wish to trumpet the successes of their anti-terror campaign in Mindanao. Why not? These brave officers and men of the AFP certainly deserve these accolades and top recognition by no less than President Arroyo who is their Commander-in-Chief.

In fact rightfully, Gen.Esperon brought these 78 officers and men to a thanksgiving dinner and awarding rites with the President last Wednesday night at Malacañang Palace. In a pep talk with these officers, the President likened the Abu Sayyaf remnants in Sulu to "retaso," which I suspect is again her loose Tagalog translation to mean the ragtag bandits. In 2001, Mrs.Arroyo thought she was cute to tell the public "isang bala na lang ang Abu Sayyaf."

Some of these officers who figured in these battles with the Abu Sayyaf were paraded in press conferences held one after the other last week at the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City and they were made to go the rounds of interviews in various radio stations in Metro Manila. In one of their press conferences, Army Special Forces 1Lt. Almirante Mijares, who led the troops that killed Solaiman about two weeks ago, Indonesian terrorist Dulmatin was seriously wounded in the fierce three-hour fighting they had with the Abu Sayyaf at Mt. Dajo in Talipao. The Special Forces unit of Mijares received military honors for their successful operation against Solaiman’s group.

Though belatedly confirmed by DNA tests that were done by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, Janjalani was supposedly killed by a platoon of Marines led by 2nd Lt.Romulo Dimayuga in the bloody battle with the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Indanan, Sulu last September. Instead of feeling proud, I got worried more after these young officers were identified and their faces showed to media.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not being KJ or "kill-joy" here. I am all in favor of giving due recognition for these brave men by bringing them to talk with media about their exploits in the war against this terror group. I have, however, some apprehensions and concerns over the coming out in the open of our soldiers responsible for the neutralization of these most wanted bandits. Are they not, including their families, being unnecessarily exposed to possible retaliation by the Abu Sayyaf bandits?

Certainly, with their names and faces seen in media, our previously low profile young officers and soldiers now become more vulnerable to the enemies. From their accounts, they did not even recognize the faces of these bandits they fought with. Face-to-face with the enemies, I can just imagine the difficulty of our soldiers to recognize them even if their top leaders have been in the poster of faces of the "most wanted" terrorists list in the country. The safety of our men in uniform might have been compromised and placed in yet another disadvantaged position because the enemy camp now know who they are and can easily match their identities and faces.

I guess, living in danger goes with their territory. Thus, it no longer matters whether they’re being made highly visible to put them in greater risks or not. The media campaign is part of the military’s psy-war operations to send the strong message to the enemies of the state that the AFP is determined to put an end to the reign of terror of the Abu Sayyaf.

The AFP’s media drive also paid off handsomely because no less than the highest leadership of the United States government noted with satisfaction that the results of the anti-terror war in this part of the world continues to gain higher grounds. There are more than 8,000 troops since Oplan Ultimatum was launched by Esperon on Aug. 1, 2006, to track down the Abu Sayyaf and the two Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members and their fellow Indonesian terrorists hiding in southern Philippines.

The US Embassy has offered a $10-million reward for the capture or killing of Dulmatin, who, together with another Indonesian terrorist Umar Patek sought refuge in the territory of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu. Dulmatin, who uses only one name, and Patek are both members of the al-Qaeda-linked JI. Patek has a $1-million bounty for his capture. The Abu Sayyaf and JI, which are believed to have been working together to plot attacks in recent months, are both on the US government’s list of foreign terrorist organizations.

The AFP admitted, though, that the neutralization of Janjalani and Solaiman would not spell the end of the reign of terror by the Abu Sayyaf. Government troopers are now after the remaining Abu Sayyaf commanders – Radullan Sahiron and Isnilon Hapilon. The military believes Dulmatin is in the care of Albader Parad, a young Abu Sayyaf militant who could be in line to replace Janjalani, according to military sources.

While she was in Davos, Switzerland attending the World Economic Forum, President Arroyo got the expected call from US President George W.Bush who personally congratulated her and commended the Philippine contribution to the global war against terrorism. The AFP scorecard in its continuing battle against the Abu Sayyaf came while Mrs.Arroyo was concurrently the Defense Secretary. She gave herself two months to serve this post and is expected to officially announce this week her you-know-who new Defense Secretary to take over.

Don’t be surprised if you see former Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado back to the mainstream in media. The President just appointed him to become the new board chairman of the sequestered TV station Channel 13.

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