Visaya confirmed as AFP chief; sets Abu Sayyaf as priority

AFP chief General Ricardo Visaya has been confirmed by the Commission on Appointments. INQUIRER FILE

Newly-confirmed Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ricardo Visaya said Wednesday the military would try its best to neutralize the Abu Sayyaf Group and free its 16 hostages before he steps down as the top military official on Dec.8.

“Our goal is no more hostages and the Abu Sayyaf will be decimated (by December),”Visaya told reporters at the Senate where he had attended confirmation hearings for his promotion as a four-star general.

He said this was his “personal aim.”

Visaya and 24 other AFP general/flag and senior officers faced the Commission on Appointments at the Senate early Wednesday and their promotions were confirmed in plenary this afternoon after the CA committee on national defense approved them.

Visaya made the statements when asked what he could do in the next three months as AFP chief of staff since he is set to step down on December 8 when he reaches the compulsory retirement age of 56 years old.

Following President Duterte’s directive to him to go after the Abu Sayyaf in June, he said the military has been pursuing the kidnap-for-ransom group since August in its strongholds in Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Sulu.

Right now, Visaya said one-third of the Army was going after the 400-strong Abu Sayyaf.

But he said the military was also treading carefully as the Abu Sayyaf was still holding 16 hostages, that included six Indonesians, five Malaysians, four Filipinos and a Dutch national.

“With the rate we are going, we are towards that end (of neutralizing the Abu Sayyaf),” Visaya said.

So far, 57 ASG members had been killed in clashes with the military which in turn lost 18 soldiers since the August military push against the group. CBB