Annihilate Sayyafs: Arroyo
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo condoles with the family of soldiers killed in battle against the Abu Sayyaf in WesMinCom Gymnasium, Zamboanga City Saturday (Aug. 15). (OPS-NIB Photo)
ZAMBOANGA CITY — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Saturday to conclude the war against terrorism and finish off Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan province.
The President, in her visit to southern Philippines on Saturday, honored the 23 soldiers killed in a recent gunbattle, which also resulted in the capture of camps from the al-Qaeda-linked militants.
Arroyo embraced weeping wives and family members of the slain troops, whose bodies are lying in state at a military camp gymnasium in the southern port city of Zamboanga.
She also gave Merit Medals to the Marines and soldiers who were killed when troops assaulted and captured two Abu Sayyaf camps on Wednesday in the island province of Basilan, said Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.
Arroyo promised P250,000 in financial aid to each family, as well as jobs for the slain soldiers’ widows and scholarships for their children, he said. (more)
Leave a Reply