AFP working on target to neutralize ASG within the year

By Ronron
February 15, 2007

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is working on a target to neutralize the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) within this year under the Operation Plan (OPLAN) Ultimatum.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., however, refused to disclose in yesterday’s news briefing at Camp Aguinaldo the specific target date so the military will not be pressured by it.

Oplan Ultimatum was launched on August 1, 2006 with an objective of annihilating the less than 500-strong ASG, which is believed to have links with Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network.

It has so far led to the neutralization of ASG nominal leader Khadaffy Janjalani and second-ranking leader Jainal Antel Sali, Jr., as well as other sub-leaders, members, and even an operative of the Jeemah Islamiyah, its regional ally in Southeast Asia.

“We are studying the setting of a deadline for our Oplan Ultimatum in Sulu… We have some dates in mind but we are studying very carefully so that our actions will not be unnecessarily bound to some dates,” Esperon said.

Asked if it will be within the year, Esperon replied in the affirmative.

But when asked if it means military operations in Sulu will end this year, he said: “Not really. Ultimatum called for the deployment of more troops. We can reduce the presence of troops there if we so determine that the threat has subsided or has been satisfactorily addressed.”

“Indeed, we want to finish the operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu as soon as possible,” he added.

In a separate interview also at Camp Aguinaldo, US Ambassador in Manila Kristie Kenney said she hopes the AFP will indeed meet its target of finishing the ASG within the year following the “very serious blows” it left “against the internationally-wanted terrorists.”

Kenney noted that Janjalani and Sali each has a $5 million bounty on their heads for their arrest or neutralization.

She disclosed that the release of the reward money are already being worked on, in fact, “some people may already have money.”

“We’ve identified some of the people who’ll received funds and we’re still tracking down a few more. The hard part is to determine exactly who gets that money, and make sure they do,” Kenney said.

“Some of them you won’t know about when it’s disbursed because people’s privacy I at stake and some people, for security, have asked that we not let anyone know,” she added.

Kenney reiterated her government’s praise for the AFP for its recent successes against the terrorist group in Sulu./DMS