Military aims to defeat Abu Sayyaf, BIFF within the year

January 9, 2018

The military aims to defeat the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) within the year.

“We will, we will.That’s our challenge. We will push our capabilities to accomplish these,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Command Chief Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Tuesday.

“That is our goal for the year we will, we will do it, it can be done,” he added. Galvez said based on their assessment the ASG and BIFF are the biggest threats among the armed groups in the area of western Mindanao.

He explained that the BIFF are divided into three factions and the military are  focusing on the Bongos  and Toraype factions which has connection to the Islamic State (IS).

“Yes the Bongos faction, the Karialan and then the Toraype ( are the BIFF factions). We are slightly focusing on Bongos and Toraype faction,” Galvez said.

“We are trying to wean out Karialan because we want to still believe (there is a possibility they will return to the MILF),” he added.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, expressed belief the military will able to attain its objective to defeat the terrorist group within the year.

“I think, we strongly believe that we are not alone in this fight. Local government units, the government officials from the governor down to the barangay captains are with us. So this is very doable, very doable,” Sobejana said. "We want it done as soon as possible. So we are really doing our best effort. We are trying to get the leadership because we see from the result of the neutralization of sub-leaders, a lot have surrendered because they are no longer being led," he added.

"With their neutralization there is chaos... so that is our priority now, getting their leaders, neutralizing the leaders to really fast track the defeat of the ASG," Sobejana said. Robina Asido/DMS