Sulu a challenge for the military, official says

By: Bong Lozada - 10 years ago

Armed Forces of the Philippines. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines -After the ambush in Sulu that killed over 20 civilians, a military official said the goal of keeping the peace in the province is a challenge for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala, AFP Public Affairs Office Chief, said the AFP and the Philippine National Police are handling “complex problems” in Sulu where they have conducted military operations for over a month.

“The security environment in Sulu remains a challenge not only for the AFP but for the PNP, and for the community as well,” Zagala said Tuesday.

On Monday, 50 armed men from the Abu Sayyaf opened fire on two passenger jeepneys in Talipao, Sulu with rebel leaders Idang Susukan and Sibih Pisih commanding the attack.

“We are doing our best, but still we have a long way to go especially in changing the mindset of the community,” Zagala said. “We want to continuously work with the community so that we can prevent any similar incidents in the future.”

Immediately after the attack, Captain Rowena Muyuela, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command, said members of the 2nd Marine Brigade have conducted pursuit operations on the perpetrators.

No rebel has been captured yet as of Tuesday Muyuela said.

Zagala hoped that the recent massacre did not shatter the confidence of the community in Sulu in the military and in the peace process in the area.

“This is very alarming because the last thing we want is the community loses its confidence in the peace environment that we have worked so hard for in Sulu for the past decades,” Zagala said.

He, however, assured that the military would step up its operations against the Abu Sayyaf to put to law the rebels who conducted the attack.