‘Rescue remaining Sayyaf captives’

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Newly installed Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero has ordered government troops in Sulu to step up operations to rescue the remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf.

Guerrero issued the directive during his first visit as military chief to the Western Mindanao Command in this city yesterday, Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said.

 Sobejana said soldiers who fought in Marawi would be redeployed in Sulu for the operations.

Emerging from a closed-door briefing, Guerrero confirmed to journalists his order to resolve kidnappings perpetrated by Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu. 

Guerrero said he did not give a deadline, ”but the order is at the soonest possible time.”

“We are just making sure we have the necessary intelligence reports for us to implement the operations. The safety of all the hostages is the paramount consideration,” he said.

Six Vietnamese, five Indonesians, a Dutch man and eight Filipinos remain in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu. 

Guerrero gave assurance that soldiers would continue to conduct maritime patrols to prevent the bandits from escaping.

He also stressed the need for joint Marine, Navy, Air Force and Army operations against  the Abu Sayyaf.