The government will not talk peace with the Abu Sayyaf Group and instead “destroy” them for their criminal activities, President Duterte declared last Thursday.
The President said the government will only forge peace with groups with “ideology” such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front, and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front, and not with the ASG.
“We have to seek peace not only with the communist. We have to insist on peace even sa ating mga Moro na kapatid,” the President said during his visit to the Southern Luzon Command headquarters in Lucena City, Quezon.
“As I talk to the communist, I will talk to the MI, MN, and all the armed groups there. Hindi kasali ang Abu Sayyaf. I will not talk with criminals,” he added.
The President said there was no other choice but for the government to “destroy” the Abu Sayyaf which has claimed has no ideology and no alternative program of government. The notorious bandit group has been implicated in many kidnapping and murders of foreign hostages, mostly recent the beheading of two Canadian visitors.
“Yung mga criminal, wala na. You have to destroy them. There’s no other choice. There’s no ideology. There’s not a program of government for the people. There is no alternative na sige, kami ang ilagay kasi ito ‘yung aming magandang paraan sa gobyerno. Nothing of this sort,” the President said.
In his recent State-of-the-Nation Address, the President said the full force of the military will be applied to crush the Abu Sayyaf. He called the ASG “terrorist group” and “criminals who operate under the guise of religious fervor.”
“The AFP shall enhance its capability to search and engage these rogue and lawless elements,” he said.
(Genalyn D. Kabiling)