Sulu island not haven for terrorists - RP military
05/03/2009 | 04:21 PM
As far as the Philippine military is concerned, the southern Philippine province of Sulu is not a haven for terrorists, contrary to what the US government claims in an official report.
Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo noted that the military is now “in the process" of defeating the Abu Sayyaf, the al Qaeda-linked terrorist group operating in the said island province.
“The situation now is that there are still remnants of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, but we are in the process of defeating this terrorist group, the ASG. But if we say safe haven, it is as if we are helpless in to curb the terror that the Abu Sayyaf Group member brings," said Arevalo, who is also the military spokesman for Sulu operations.
The Abu Sayyaf in Sulu is still holding Eugenio Vagni, an Italian volunteer from the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC). He together with two other ICRC workers were kidnapped last January 15 after inspecting a water sanitation project in Patikul town.
In its Country Reports on Terrorism for 2008 dated last April 30 , the US State Department said Southeast Asia has a safe haven area for terrorists, composed of the Suluwesi Sea and the Sulu Archipelago.
The US report said the Philippine government’s control in Southern Philippines is “weak", citing the rugged terrain, weak rule of law, poverty and resentment of the Muslim minority of the government’s policies.
Arevalo said the military has made significant gains in its campaign to defeat the Abu Sayyaf, noting that only “remnants" of the group are currently operating in Sulu.
“We cannot say that we are helpless, we cannot say that Sulu is a safe haven. It just so happens that as of now, there are still remnants of the Abu Sayyaf but we have made significant gains already," he said. - GMANews.TV
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