Bicol troops moved to Lanao for terror war

MARAWI CITY—The military is pouring more soldiers into Lanao del Sur to bring the war on terror to the doorsteps of an armed group of at least 200 men that had sworn allegiance to the terror network Islamic State (IS).

The latest batch of soldiers to arrive here came from Bicol and is about the size of a battalion. They are now part of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade, which is on the hunt for the Maute Group, composed of armed men who had pledged loyalty to IS.

Maj. Gen. Gerrado Barrientos, head of the 1st Infantry Division, said some of the soldiers would be stationed at Kampo Ranao here, where three other battalions are currently based.

The main assignment of the soldiers is to hunt down and finish off the Maute Group.

At least 1,000 soldiers, backed by armored personnel carriers and howitzers, are now taking part in the campaign to bring down the Maute Group, also known as Al Ansar Al-Khalifa.

Barrientos said more soldiers were arriving as the war on terror escalates in Mindanao.

“If we can’t fix this problem now, it will grow and will affect the next generation,” he said.

Addressing himself to his men, Barrientos asked soldiers to “do your best so that when this place becomes free from lawless elements, you can say that you are part of the solution.”

With more soldiers coming, Barrientos said “sooner or later, this problem would end.”

Lt. Col. Arnel Bautista, 49th IB commander, said his men were ready to do battle with the Maute Group, which was previously unheard of until it went on a kidnapping and killing spree in Lanao del Sur. In one case, the group beheaded two captives.

It also launched bomb attacks on selected targets, like military camps.

In February, soldiers battled the Maute Group for days in Butig town, Lanao del Sur, which led to the killing of several of its leaders.

The group retaliated, however, launching more attacks and, on Aug. 27, freeing eight of its members among 23 inmates in a daring raid on the Lanao del Sur provincial jail.

Despite Maute Group’s increasing notoriety and its pledge of allegiance to IS, military and police authorities said there was still no evidence to back speculation that the Maute Group had merged forces with Abu Sayyaf.

Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, PNP chief, said he did not have information about the merger of Maute and Abu Sayyaf.

Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command, said on the contrary, both groups are competing for recognition by IS in a bid to get financial support.

“Until now, we haven’t monitored any unusual support from IS to the local bandits and we haven’t seen any evidence they support each other,” Tan said.