Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya told the Abu Sayyaf to surrender and to release all their hostages or get crushed by thousands of ground forces in Sulu.
Visaya said this in his visit Saturday afternoon in Sulu before government troops pursuing the Abu Sayyaf to rescue the terror group's 23 hostages, 16 foreigners and seven locals.
He said the AFP would accept Abu Sayyaf members who surrender to take the path of peace but with conditions.
"Those in the Abu Sayyaf who want to surrender, the AFP will accept them, provided that they release their hostages. If not, our soldiers will hunt them down and pursue them until all of them are neutralized,” Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, spokesman of Joint Task Force Sulu (JTFS), said quoting Visaya.
The relentless pursuit following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to crush the terror group has already killed 32 Abu Sayyaf members in Sulu. At least 27 militants were also killed in Basilan operations.
Meanwhile, 15 died and 17 were wounded from government forces in Sulu. Three were also killed and one got wounded in Basilan.
Visaya did not give the troops any deadline in its focused military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf.
“We will hunt and pursue them as long as needed," Visaya said.
Visaya said JTFS commander Brig. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, reported that local government units and civilians were actively cooperating with the troops and providing information in defeating the Abu Sayyaf that splintered into factions to evade the pursuing forces.
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