AFP: Abu crippled in 2 months

The commander of the military unit that rescued American Jeffrey Schilling last April 12 has given his men two months to penetrate the Abu Sayyaf’s jungle hideout and "neutralize" the bandits.

Speaking at the Greenhills Walking Corp.’s weekly breakfast forum at Ristorante La Dolce Fonatana in San Juan yesterday, Col. Renato Miranda said the Abu Sayyaf is fast losing the support of the local population in Sulu.

"I can see that in two months’ time, we will get results," he said. "If you get the local Abus, the Abu Sayyaf hardcore cannot go into town, they cannot go marketing. The only things that made them survive is they have the support of the local Abus who do the logistics."

Miranda, commander of the 2nd Marine Brigade in Sulu, said Abu Sayyaf supporters can be compared to water, while the hardcore Abu Sayyaf members are like fish who cannot survive without water.

"We plan to remove the water to kill the fish," he said.

Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes told the same forum he believes Miranda’s men can meet the two-month deadline with the help of the local population.

"That was the commitment so we expect that within the time frame, we will have substantial results," he said.

Military intelligence estimates at 500 the number of hardcore Abu Sayyaf members, who are scattered in Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, the Zamboanga provinces and General Santos City.

At Malacañang, Presidential Chief of Staff Renato Corona announced yesterday that US President George W. Bush has formally thanked President Arroyo for the military’s rescue of Schilling.

Corona told reporters Bush expressed his gratitude in a letter to Mrs. Arroyo, which was sent through US Chargé d’ Affaires Michael Malinowski.

"I wanted to thank you personally for your leadership in the Philippine government’s successful campaign to free US hostage Jeffrey Schilling from his captors in Mindanao," reads Bush’s letter.

"Throughout the seven-month crisis, we had hoped for Mr. Schilling’s safe release without giving in to terrorist demands. Your patience and determination, along with the superb contributions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, were the keys to this splendid success."

In Sulu, government troops have thrown a dragnet around Sulu to prevent Abu Sayyaf bandits from slipping out to sea or to nearby islands.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Jaime de los Santos told reporters in Sulu yesterday 2,000 Scout Rangers, Army Special Forces, Marines, and Army troops are combing the jungles of Sulu in search of Filipino Roland Ullah, the last of the 21 mostly foreign hostages snatched from Sipadan island off Sabah on Easter Sunday last year.

"We have to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf because they hamper the development of Sulu and Basilan," he said in Filipino.

De los Santos said government troops aim to "break the Abu Sayyaf’s backbone" and capture its leaders Ghalid Andang alias Commander Robot, Mujib Susukan, Khadaffy Janjalani, Abu Sabaya, Nadjanie Sadalla alias Global, Ustadz Jumdail alias Doctor Abu Pula and Radulan Sahiron.

In Semporma, Malaysia, Ullah’s 31-year-old wife pleaded to Mrs. Arroyo yesterday for the safe return of her husband so he can see his four-month-old son for the first time.

Joy Acune told The Associated Press Ullah was unaware that she was pregnant with their second child when the Abu Sayyaf captured him along with 10 resort workers and 10 Western tourists in Sipadan island.

"I am very happy that (Mrs.) Arroyo is concerned about my husband," she said.– Paolo Romero, Marichu Villanueva, Roel Pareño