By Ronron
August 24, 2007
Three engineering battalions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be sent to Basilan and Sulu to help accomplish civil-military projects as part of the government’s total approach in addressing the peace and order problem in both island provinces.
AFP chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. said Friday that two battalions will go to Sulu, one will go to Basilan where an engineering battalion is already assigned. The three battalions, all from the Philippine Army and a small component from the Philippine Navy, will come from Zamboanga City.
A battalion has about 400 to 500 personnel, said AFP information officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro.
“This (dispatch of engineering battalions) is all part of the humanitarian invasion in Basilan and Sulu, concentrated on development project,” Esperon said.
Navy information officer Commander Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said those to be deployed to Sulu will most likely be from the Philippine Army, while those for Basilan will be joined by elements of the Navy Construction Brigade.
Esperon said the engineer-soldiers in Basilan will be tasked to help finish the circumferential road project in the island province, while those in Sulu will help construct market roads, repair of school buildings, ad day care centers, among others.
He disclosed that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday already ordered Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya to release P50 million for the completion of the circumferential road project in Basilan, which still needs about 60 to 70 kilometers for cementing or asphalt overlay.
Arroyo learned of the unfinished road project in Basilan when she visited troops there last Thursday.
“Actually, the circumferential road in Basilan is already open but there are some areas, which have a lot of potholes… We have to work on that together with the local government,” Esperon said.
The military chief said they will undertake the humanitarian projects even if the offensives against the Abu Sayyaf Group and other Moslem extremists are still ongoing.
“We can undertake these things even during operations against the armed groups, specifically the Abu Sayyaf. After all, the fighting is confined to just the hinterlands,” he said.
Asked if the military has already identified the location of their target terrorists, Esperon said: “Yes. We will not launch operations unless we have good intelligence on them. And so, let’s just wait. They should be forthcoming as soon as we have the correct intelligence.”
The AFP has poured in a total of about 5,000 troops in Basilan, and at least 4,000 in Sulu with the objective of finally neutralizing the terrorists.
“We will apply the full force of our large presence in the two islands if only to see an early neutralization of the Abu Sayyaf. Neutralization, meaning, that they would be put off balance and will not be able to launch any terroristic activities,” Esperon said.
The series of fighting in Sulu and Basilan since July has resulted already in the death of 57 soldiers and the wounding of over a dozen others, while an estimated of more than 80 bandits were reportedly killed also, a few of them leaders and subleaders./DMS
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