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May 30, 2003, Philippin Star, Philippine spokesman says Abu Sayyaf strength "significantly reduced",

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May 30, 2003, Philippin Star, Philippine spokesman says Abu Sayyaf strength "significantly reduced",

President Arroyo is satisfied with "the substantial compliance" of the armed forces with the 90-day deadline she imposed last 28 February for government troops to crush the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu. The deadline lapsed last Wednesday [28 May]. Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Mrs Arroyo believes that the armed forces had exerted all efforts to meet the deadline as troops rescued one after the other the remaining hostages of the bandit group.

"I would say there has been substantial compliance," he said. Bunye said the Abu Sayyaf's strength has been "significantly reduced" because of intensified military operations against the bandits since Mrs Arroyo issued the deadline to then Southern Command head, now armed forces chief Gen Narciso Abaya.

"As far as the government is concerned, the capabilities of the Abu Sayyaf have really been weakened," he said. Bunye said troops will continue the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf, whose strength, the military claims, has been reduced to 250 armed men.

"The military, the police and the local authorities will continue to go after the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf and the operations will be relentless until everybody is accounted for," he said. Bunye said Mrs Arroyo had confidence in the capability of Abaya as Southcom chief when he gave him a 90-day deadline to finish off the Abu Sayyaf.

"What we have seen is the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] has been doing its best to run after these Abu Sayyaf, especially their leaders," he said. "During the 90-day period, we have seen some of the key leaders of the Abu Sayyaf neutralized."

Abaya said troops rescued all Abu Sayyaf hostages, degraded the capability of the bandits, and arrested many of their leaders within the 90-day deadline. "We've tried our best to meet the deadline but I don't think it was the intention that we will kill all of them when the deadline comes," he said. "We have degraded their capability to conduct these atrocities and hopefully, we will further neutralize them."

Abaya said the Abu Sayyaf is not a spent force despite the continuous military offensive on the jungle hideout of the terrorists. "We have rescued all the hostages, we have degraded their capability and we have arrested some of the top commanders but that is not to say that they are already a spent force," he said. "They are still capable of doing some form of terrorism. This is why I favour the holding of Balikatan 03-1 to further neutralize this group once and for all."

Last 11 May, Lt-Gen Rodolfo Garcia, armed forces vice-chief of staff and spokesman, said government troops are having a hard time trying to meet the 90-day time frame set by Malacanang [presidential palace]. "We have scored quite well and we have degraded the capability of the Abu Sayyaf," he said.

Source: The Philippine Star web site, Manila, in English 30 May 03

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