The country’s first ever strategic sealift vessel will be deployed to the south to assist elite government troops running after the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), President Aquino bared on Monday.

As the government moves closer to neutralizing the notorious ASG group, the President said BRP Tarlac, a landing dock vessel purchased from Indonesia, would join the military operations to transport troops and supplies.

“Parang ang problema natin kasi ‘pag yung pinapatrolya mo yung Tawi-Tawi, they have to go back to Sulu or someone else (needs to) replenish fuel, food , water. Yung endurance hindi ganoon katagal,” Aquino said in an interview with Manila Bulletin editors last Monday in Malacañang.

“Pero ngayon with that new ship, this can serve as their floating dock to replenish resources,” added the commander-in-chief who is expected to attend the Philippine Navy anniversary rites today.

BRP Tarlac, the newest and biggest addition to the Navy fleet, is expected to be commissioned to service during the Navy anniversary ceremony.

The ship, delivered in Manila last May 14, can reportedly carry hundreds of troops and two helicopters. It is also equipped with modern navigation and surface search radar, an electronic warfare system, combat management system, among others.

The ship was named after the province of Tarlac, one of the first eight provinces that took up arms against Spain during the Philippine revolution in 1896.

In the Manila Bulletin interview, the President said government troops, aided by air and naval assets, are closing in on the ASG rebels holding hostages despite encountering some difficulties.

The operations are “continuously refined” to “constrict them further” and help weaken this long-standing threat, Aquino added. “We have our most elite forces in this area. We have most of the assets (in the area),” he said, declining to elaborate on certain security details.

Last month, the Abu Sayyaf beheaded Canadian hostage John Ridsdel after its ransom demand was not met. The group has threatened to kill another hostage next month if they do not receive ransom payment.

The Abu Sayyaf allegedly led by Radullan Sahiron still holds three hostages taken from the resort on Samal Island late last year.

President Aquino admitted that the government was struggling to run after the Abu Sayyaf, saying the group is “not a monolithic organization” and has “intimate knowledge of the terrain.”

The local community is also “very heavily influenced” by the group since they get a share in ransom payments, Aquino noted.

“Tina-target natin yung mismong nagki-kidnap. Tina-target natin yung Abu Sayyaf na may tangan. Sinusubakan natin i-win over yung communities [We are targeting those involved in the kidnapping. We are targeting the Abu Sayyaf holding the hostages. We are trying to win over the communities],” he said.

The President, however, remains confident that “it is only a matter of time when the Abu Sayyaf Group would be neutralized.”

“Now our problem is ayaw makipag-engage. Yun ang issue. Iwas sila nang iwas sa tropa natin. At some point in time, mauubos ang iwas nila [Now our problem is they don’t like to engage. That’s the issue. They are avoiding our troops. But at some point in time, they will not be able to evade us]” he said.

Aquino said the Philippines has also forged an agreement with Indonesia and Malaysia on joint patrols to boost security in the Sulu sea.

Apart from joint patrols, the defense pact calls for sharing of information to curb criminality, piracy, kidnapping, and smuggling in the border area common to the three countries.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Genalyn Kabiling

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