Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
More troops would be deployed to run after Abu Sayyaf bandits who beheaded a Malaysian hostage in southern Philippines last week, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said on Thursday.
Gazmin said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines would beef up the troops on the ground to pursue the bandit group following a fresh directive from President Aquino to rid the country of terrorist threats.
“Our fight against the Abu Sayyaf is ongoing and we will beef up our forces so that we can finally put an end to them,” he said. He did not cite any figure.
Abu Sayyaf has been described as one of the most violent Islamic groups operating in Mindanao.
The President last week directed the military to intensify its operations against threat groups after the Abu Sayyaf beheaded Malaysian Bernard Then.
The beheading was carried out after the victim’s family reportedly failed to meet the bandits’ ransom demands.
Then, a 39-year-old engineer, and a Malaysian woman were abducted from a Chinese restaurant in Sandakan, Sabah, in May and taken to Jolo, Sulu. The woman was reportedly freed on Nov. 8 after ransom was paid.
AFP chief Gen. Hernando Iriberri flew to Mindanao last weekend to personally relay Mr. Aquino’s directive to the new commanders there.
Maj. Gen. Leonardo Guerrero took over the Eastern Mindanao Command upon the retirement of Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad last weekend, while Maj. Gen. Mayoralgo de la Cruz was appointed to head the Western Mindanao Command after the retirement of Gen. Rustico Guerrero.