AFP: No Ramadan ceasefire in Sulu

Despite calls from Muslim leaders, the military will not declare a ceasefire in Sulu in deference to the observance of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Armed Forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Jose Angel Honrado said it was up to the political leadership to decide whether or not to declare a ceasefire.

For his part, Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon said it was unlikely that terrorists would also lay down their arms during Ramadan.

"The terrorists are not saying they will refrain from terrorist acts while we observe Ramadan," Esperon said.

Nine Army and Marine battalions are deployed in Sulu against the terrorists. Of this number, about 6,000 troops are hunting down Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and Jemaah Islamiyah bombers Umar Patek and Dulmatin, the alleged masterminds of the October 2002 bombings in the Indonesian resort island of Bali which killed over 200 people, majority of them foreign tourists.

Esperon said the military had already held dialogues with Muslim leaders in Sulu to inform them that the anti-terrorism operation will push through during Ramadan.

"We conducted dialogues with local officials and local populace to forewarn them that offensives will go on during the Ramadan but this time, as much as possible, there will be no artillery fires," he said.

Esperon announced over the weekend the deployment of an additional Scout Ranger company to Sulu to join the hunt for Janjalani, Patek and Dulmatin.

"The operations will continue," he said. "We cannot (declare a ceasefire). You know terrorism doesn’t respect any religion."

Esperon said a fresh company of Scout Ranger troops arrived in Sulu the other night from the Davao provinces.

"There are ways of celebrating it. We can fully celebrate it (Ramadan) while we go on without our operations."

During Ramadan, troops in Sulu will not use heavy guns like artillery piece, Esperon said.

Since last month, troops have been hunting down Janjalani, Dulmatin and Patek in the jungles of Sulu.

At least 16 government troops and 30 Abu Sayyaf terrorists have been killed in the month-long battle that also left 86 soldiers wounded.

Reports said Janjalani, Patek and Dulmatin, who carry a combined cash reward of $16 million from the US government, have sneaked out of Sulu.

Sources told The STAR the three terrorists are already in Basilan, and that the Abu Sayyaf band fighting government troops in Sulu are under the command of Radullan Sahiron and Dr. Abu Pula. — With Paolo Romero