AFP starts pullout of troops from Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has started to pull out troops in Sulu after eight years of battling the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the region.

Col. Antonio Mark Supnet, commander of the Army’s 104th Brigade, said the pullout is part of the AFP’s plan of realigning its forces following the decline of the Abu Sayyaf leadership.

Supnet said the troops will be deployed to complement the Marines in implementing fleet Marine operations.

Two Marine brigades – 2nd and 3rd Marine Brigades – stationed in Sulu would assume control of island security.

The Marines have been adopting the operational doctrines suitable to the amphibious and island terrain.

Supnet said the pullout involved the 33rd and 35th Army battalions whose troops had been deployed in the region for eight years to fight the Abu Sayyaf.

“We have started the pullout. It’s good that the situation in Sulu has begun to normalize,” he said.

Supnet said his brigade will be sent back to the Army’s 1st Tabak Division in Pulacan, Zamboanga del Sur.

From there, the troops will be assigned to either of the Lanao provinces or will remain in the Zamboanga peninsula.

The 104th Brigade spearheaded successful offensive operations which led to the neutralization of senior Abu Sayyaf leaders involved in the kidnapping of tourists from a resort in Sipadan, Malaysia in 2000.

The senior Abu Sayyaf leaders who have been neutralized include Mujiv Susukan, Nadzmie Saabtula alias Global and Ghalib Andang alias Commander Robot.

The Army brigade also played a principal role in the killing of Jainal Antel Sali Jr., known as Abu Solaiman, who was tagged in the firebombing of SuperFerry 14 in Manila Bay in 2004.

The military unit also helped the Marines in killing Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani in 2006.

The army unit, however, also had its share of setbacks with dozens of troops and officers killed in the battle against the terror group.

Supnet said the tour of the 104th Army Brigade started at the height of the Sipadan hostage taking, under then Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, following the activation of Task Force Sultan that succeeded the 3rd Marine Brigade in 1999.

Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan commended the military unit for its tour of duty.

“We welcome any military unit with the same security trust. We are confident the Marines will do their best to make the residents and the province safe for our tourism and economic programs,” Tan said.