Having defeated the Daesh-backed Maute Group in Marawi City, the Philippine armed forces are concentrating on pursuing other militant groups in Mindanao.
This is to primarily avoid a repeat of what transpired in Marawi City, much of which was left in ruins after five months of intense fighting between government troops and the Maute Group.
AFP spokesperson Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla told Arab News: “We have adequately addressed all the possible threats that could complicate Marawi and true enough, and God willing, we were able to fortunately quell the enemy.
“And now we will refocus our efforts in other areas where potential threats may come from.”
Among those being pursued by the Philippine military is the group of jihadist Esmail Abdulmalik, alias Abu Toraife, leader of a faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Front (BIFF). Like the Maute Group, the BIFF has pledged allegiance to Daesh.
Based on reports from the army, air strikes were launched following information that Abdulmalik’s group was sighted at the forested borders of Barangays Tonganon and Bentangan in the municipality of Carmen in North Cotabato this week.
However, Padilla noted that the capabilities of Daesh sympathizers such as the BIFF and the Ansar Al-Khilafah are “not at the level of the group that attacked Marawi.”
Sidney Jones, a regional security expert, earlier described Abdulmalik as a possible contender to be the successor of Isnilon Hapilon, the Daesh-designated emir in Southeast Asia. Hapilon was killed by government forces in October during the final push for the liberation of Marawi City.
Jones notes, however, that Abdulmalik “lacks the international ties, language skills and charisma that made the Mautes so potent.”
Nonetheless the military is continuously addressing these threats, said Padilla. “And we’ll continue to do so in other areas like Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi to prevent (the threat) from growing,” said the AFP spokesman.
He also emphasized that operations against such groups were in progress before the Marawi crisis broke out. Padilla said the BIFF even attempted to make a move during the Marawi siege, but that was thwarted by the military.
Meanwhile, government forces have arrested three suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group during a raid at a residential unit in Salaam Compound in Culiat, in Metro Manila around 5:15 p.m. on Friday, a day before heads of state started to arrive in the Philippines for the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Related Meetings.
Chief Superintendent Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar, Quezon City Police District Director, identified the suspects as Abdulgaffar Jikiri, alias Abu Bakar Jikiri, 19; Sadam Jhofar, 24; and Alim Sabtalin, 19.
The three were arrested in a joint action by the police, military personnel, elements of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the National Bureau of Investigation counter-terrorism division.
The authorities recovered caliber 45 pistols, live magazine round, two M-203 rifle grenades and mobile phones.