ZAMBOANGA CITY: Philippine authorities have finally declared the whole of the southern province of Sulu as Abu Sayyaf-free after decades of fighting, with officials saying the extremist Muslim group had been defeated.
ASG SURRENDERERS. Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. (center) on Saturday (July 30, 2022) welcomes the surrender of 100 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members in Sulu. The surrender of the ASG members was facilitated by the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force. (Photo courtesy of Area Police Command-Western Mindanao) ZAMBOANGA CITY - Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Saturday welcomed some 100 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) surrenderers in Sulu. The surrender of the 100 ASG members was facilitated by the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) headed by Maj. Gen. Patrick Villacorte. Villacorte presented the 100 ASG surrenderers to Abalos in a ceremony at Sumadja Hall, Capitol Site, Patikul, Sulu. Abalos was happy to note that the 100 ASG members decided to surrender to live peaceful lives noting the hardships they experienced in the mountains and continuously being pursued by government troops.
Published on: Saturday, December 12, 2020
By: PNA
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Gapay (right) meets with local officials and religious leaders in Sulu at the Provincial Capital on Thursday.
SULU: The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) believes that Islam is a religion of peace, its chief said.
General Gilbert Gapay made this remark following a meeting with Sulu local government officials and religious leaders in Sumadja Hall, Provincial Capitol Thursday.
“We in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, kaming mga kasundaluhan (we the military), believe that Islam is a religion that espouses peace above all matters,” Gapay said in a statement.
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In attendance during the meeting were Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, First District Rep. Samier Tan, and several municipal mayors and Ulamas of the province.