AFP confident mastermind of Jolo bombing still in province

August 27, 2020

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay expressed confidence that Mundi Sawadjaan, the mastermind of the recent bombing incidents in Jolo and his group is still in the province of Sulu.

"Yes we were confident that they are still in Sulu because immediately after the incident we had a lockdown and right now we are guarding the borders and really controlling the, you know the entry and exit of people and resources in the process. This is also under the auspices of the emergency management committee. It is an inter agency committee activated, crisis management committee to really implement stricter measures in the province of Sulu," Gapay said in television interview.

In a radio interview, Major Gen. Corleto Vinluan, AFP Western Mindanao Command chief , said only military aircraft were allowed to operate in Jolo.

"In the airport only the military aircraft operate but the trip of the ships are continuous," he said.

"When I went to the town, I go around and it's back to normal," he added.

Gapay said the military forces in Sulu are conducting combat operation targeting the lairs and hideouts of the terrorist.

"Actually we have troops operating in the area and we have also some information of their hideouts, their lairs and of course our forces in Sulu are operating in those target areas," he said.

"We are also looking at their logistics and support network and there are some leads, actually not only during the Marawi crisis but in our continuing intelligence coverage of this Abu Sayyaf, we have identified some NGOs, conduits and they are also evidences that manifest foreign funding," Gapay said.

"We are really coordinating with AMLAC (Anti-Money Laundering Council) here and other entities in checking these accounts suspected to be the channel of funding for the Abu Sayyaf Group, and even personalities. So even their support network, we are monitoring and we  have some leads on their support system in the country," he added. Robina Asido/DMS