AFP to double efforts vs Abu Sayyaf to meet 3-month deadline

Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Ben Mohammad Dolorfino on Wednesday said government troops will double efforts to pursue the leaders of the Abu Sayyaf, to meet the three-month deadline set by the military leadership in crushing the bandit group. In an interview, Dolorfino said government operations against the Abu Sayyaf continue relentlessly, leading to various encounters between soldiers and Abu Sayyaf bandits in the southern Philippine region. Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon was earlier reported to have given a three-month deadline for the defeat of the Abu Sayyaf. “Military operations against the Abu Sayyaf have been going on without let-up, so I’m sure that with this challenge of the (Armed Forces) chief of staff, the units – Marine units and Army units – will be doubling their efforts in order to keep up with the challenge," Dolorfino said. On Tuesday, eight soldiers were wounded after Army troopers engaged a group of suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits in Talipao town in Sulu. This encounter came in the heels of a predawn raid staged by Marine troops which led to the killing of a suspected Abu Sayyaf sub-commander in Basilan last Monday. In the interview, Dolorfino said the key to the defeat of the Abu Sayyaf is the neutralization of its leaders. “I think what is meant by the chief of staff is strategic defeat of the Abu Sayyaf and that would mean the neutralization of the center of gravity. Personally, I believe the center of gravity of the Abu Sayyaf are the leaders, if we will be able to neutralize the leaders, really the organization will crumble down," Dolorfino said. - GMANews.TV