(Eagle News) — “Destroy” the Abu Sayyaf.
President Rodrigo Duterte gave this order to the government security forces on Monday, Jan. 28, following the deadly blasts at a Sulu cathedral that killed at least 21 and injured several others.
Duterte gave the order after inspecting the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral and visiting the relatives of the victims of the blasts, which police have initially attributed to a faction of the Abu Sayyaf.
Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said one of the suspects, caught in footage from a closed-circuit television camera, was a known member of the Ajang Ajang group.
The Islamic State, however, has also claimed responsibility for the attack, which came after the Commission on Elections deemed ratified the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
The BOL, which Sulu had rejected, aims to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with a more autonomous Bangsamoro.
“Pulpugin ninyo ang Abu Sayyaf by whatever means,” Duterte said in his speech, a transcript of this was released by the Palace on Tuesday, Jan. 29.
Duterte assured government security forces that the government had the resources to support their offensives against the group notorious for its kidnapping activities, with its helicopters, airplanes and ships.
According to Duterte, civilians, however, should be spared from the government attacks.
“Paalisin mo ‘yung mga tao, ilagay mo dito kung saan ako ang maggastos ng pagkain, lahat. Tapos plantsahin ninyo ng bala…,” he said.
‘Pag nawala iyang Jolo, maski isang island diyan, well we have failed in our mission to preserve the territory of the Republic of the Philippines,” he added.
