NEW Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya vowed to focus unrelenting pressure against the Abu Sayyaf Group and its allied terrorist cells as troops recovered the body of the Canadian man the group beheaded last June 13.
“We will be unrelenting in our focused military operations against terrorist groups like the ASG and all its allied terrorist cells,” Visaya said as elements of Joint Task Group Sulu found the body of slain Canadian Robert Hall around 11:35 a.m. in Talipao, Sulu.
“We will realign military resources to their identified bailiwicks and sanctuaries and apply our military strength to suppress them, hunt them down and finish them,” Visaya stressed.
“We will continue to apply the full force of the law 24/7 to go after these criminals and profit-seeking elements who operate under the guise of religious fervor and holy war,” he added.
Major Filemon Tan, Western Mindanao Command spokesperson, said Hall’s decaying remains were brought to Jolo, Sulu for documentation before its turnover to Philippine National Police crime scene investigators.
Hall was beheaded by the ASG last June 13. His head was later recovered by civilians in front of the gate of the Jolo Cathedral.
Hall, together with John Ridsdel, Kjartan Sekkingstad and Marites Flor, was abducted last Sept. 21 at the Ocean View Resort in Barangay Camudmud, Samal City, Davao del Norte and was beheaded last June 13. His head was later found in front of the Jolo Cathedral.
Sekkingstad is the only remaining kidnap victim with the ASG as Flor was freed by her kidnappers last week.
The Western Mindanao Command decries the barbaric act of the ASG in beheading its captives which can be described as contrary to the Islamic teachings.
Meanwhile, Visaya change will be felt in the way the military conducts its internal and territorial security operations.
“We are now in the final push as we approach the culmination of Internal Peace and Security Plan ‘Bayanihan’ by the end of this year. By stroke of fate, this six-month duration also coincides with the beginning of a new era of change as we lay down the bedrock foundation for security and defense under the new administration,” he said during his assumption speech Friday.
“It is in this context that I set the direction of our force allowing our Commander-in-Chief’s paradigm shift in military operations,” Visaya said.
In a television interview, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana affirmed that there will be a “redirection” of the country’s defense priorities to address the most pressing matters, but the new administration will continue with the plan to modernize the AFP.
Lorenzana said that the 15-year AFP Modernization Plan that was previously laid out will continue “as planned” and “as scheduled” with the purchase of jets, warships and other assets that can be used for territorial defense.
“But there will be redirection,” Lorenzana told ABS-CBN News. “The priority [of the President] is to fight criminality, and how Abu Sayyaf [can be rendered insignificant.] That’s very important kasi it’s giving us a bad name sa international community.”
He added that in line with the President’s marching orders, all contracts that have already been completed will be respected, and all projects in the pipeline without apparent problems will be approved after review.
After the top priority of ending the Abu Sayyaf, the second priority for the Armed Forces will be to help the Philippine National Police in its anti-illegal drugs and criminality campaign.
“Criminality, anti-crime, is covered by the police. But we will provide whatever troops they may need,” Lorenzana said.