AFP to maintain troop presence in Mindanao 'to sustain gains'

This photo taken on May 23, 2021 shows Philippine soldiers looking over workers constructing a building which was a main battleground in 2017 when Islamic State-inspired Muslim militants laid siege to the southern Philippine city of Marawi, resulting in a five-month campaign that claimed more than 1,000 lives until government troops re-took control. (Ferdinand Cabrera, AFP/file)

MANILA — The military on Tuesday said it will maintain the level of troop presence in Mindanao despite asserting that insurgency has been largely eradicated and that the security situation in the region is stable.

This follows the abduction of a 26-year-old American on October 17 in Zamboanga del Norte, although there has been no direct indication that the Abu Sayyaf or any local armed group was involved in the case.

"Wala na tayong namo-monitor na members ng ASG, but tuloy-tuloy pa rin ‘yong ating security operations doon to sustain ‘yong peace and order,” Col. Louie Dema-Ala, Philippine Army spokesperson , told reporters at a media briefing at Camp Aguinaldo.

(We have not monitored any members of the ASG, but we will maintain our security operations to sustain peace and order)

• PH police: No communication, ransom demand from Eastman's abductors yet

Parts of Mindanao have been heavily militarized since the emergence of secessionist groups like the Moro National Liberation Front and Moro International Liberation Front in the 1970s.

Both groups have signed peace agreements with the government but the New People's Army still has a presence in parts of the region. 

Smaller armed groups like the ASG and Dawlah Islamiya also operate in some areas of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The government had previously announced Zamboanga, Basilan, and Sulu free of the presence of the ASG, which had been involved kidnapping foreigners for ransom.

Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, reiterated that government troops will maintain their presence in the region because threats remain.

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“Kahit na-declare na na insurgency-free ang certain province, hindi natin ito iiwanan. Bagkus, while we shift our forces to territorial defense, patuloy po nating binabantayan itong mga lugar na ito para ma-sustain natin ‘yong gains natin in certain areas,” she said.

(Even if a province is declared insurgency-free, we will not pull out troops out. Instead, as we shift our forces to territorial defense, we will continue to keep an eye on these areas to sustain our gains)

Elliot Onil Eastman, a native of Vermont, was forcibly taken by four armed men who pretended to be law enforcement personnel in the evening of October 17. 

He had been staying in Sibuko town, Zamboanga del Norte for five months after marrying a Filipina.

Padilla said pursuit operations against the foreigner’s captors are ongoing, and the military is in close coordination with the police, ready to augment forces as required by the situation.

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