The government is winning not only the war against the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist elements, it is also winning the hearts and minds of the populace in the island provinces of Sulu and Basilan.
This is what Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista revealed in an interview in Davao. The intelligence report they gathered is that the residents in these islands have gotten tired of these vicious elements which have isolated and deprived them to live normal lives and take advantage of the opportunities that could have alleviated their living conditions.
According to General Bautista they have made an intensified campaign against the terrorist elements encouraged by the information and cooperation that the people in Sulu and Basilan have shown. The government forces, according to the general had accounted several top leaders of the terror group as informers had pinpointed their whereabouts. The numbers of terrorists have dwindled and had dispersed but because they are vicious they are not given any quarters by the military to regroup. Obviously now, both the ASG and the JIs have been isolated. If the support of the civilian populace continue, General Bautista estimated that by 2014 most of their targets and goals to bring normalcy to Sulu and Basilan shall have been achieved.
Indeed that target is achievable for as long as the inhabitants of the island will continue to collaborate with the government peacekeeping force. The government forces are not their enemy and they should realized that when they started to lose the confidence of investors and businessmen and even aid agencies whose main and sole agenda is only to help them cope with the misery brought about by protracted conflict. The return of peace and normalcy however is still in the hands of the island inhabitants. Our soldiers are at their service whenever they think it is about time to live in peace and quiet in their beautiful islands.