PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte seemed pretty sure that it was the bandit group Abu Sayyaf that staged the twin bombings of a Catholic church in Jolo, Sulu and now has ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines to get the group at all costs and by whatever means.
Despite conflicting initial reports whether the improvised explosive devices were remotely detonated by cell phones or some other triggering mechanism, or thru so called suicide bombers one thing is clear, there is now an urgent need to totally obliterate the Abu Sayyaf from wherever they may be found in the country.
This is because the Abu Sayyaf whether the Philippine government likes it or not is now being used as a tool by those who would seek to use terrorism as a tool to advance their nefarious objectives, and there is no one more inclined to employ this method than the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant or Isis.
In fact the Isis in its website was quick to claim responsibility for the bombing which claimed the lives of around 20 individuals and wounded dozens of others, a claim which was also quickly belied and dismissed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) saying this was the handiwork of local terrorists.
But of course, in hindsight, it is evident that the incident was a terroristic attack and it was perpetrated by several individuals from a group that may or may not be supported and guided by international terrorists groups such as the Isis.
This is the reality on the ground and now that the AFP has been given its marching orders by the President against the Abu Sayyaf there is that sense of optimism (mine only perhaps) that we will finally see the end to the bandit group that has been sowing terror in Mindanao.
In destroying the Abu Sayyaf the AFP will surely make use of its intelligence apparatus to validate and assess various threats posed by the said group as well as pinpoint their locations prior to engaging them in an armed confrontation. This is the likely scenario considering that the government through the AFP has already been engaging the Abu Sayyaf both on land and our coastal seas for the longest time. Of course there is no easy way to obliterate the Abu Sayyaf but the order has been given and the AFP will have to rise to the challenge.
From a layman’s point of view the most obvious measure that can be already undertaken by the AFP is to make sure that all the armed members of the Abu Sayyaf are contained in one area, which means that the military has to make sure that if these Abu Sayyaf are in Sulu, which by the way is considered their lair, then they should corralled in that place and nowhere else. This is to limit their activities and influence in a manageable land area and reduce the possibility of any of their terroristic acts. Perhaps another step is to identify and apprehend their supporters and those who provide them with safe houses and aid. By removing their support group the Abu Sayyaf will be forced to rely on what they can bring along during their forays into banditry.
One thing for sure is that AFP will have its reputation at stake in bringing down the Abu Sayyaf. For us ordinary citizens the faster the Abu Sayyaf is wiped out the better for all of us.