September 29, 2020, Camp Bautista, Jolo, Sulu – Hon Hermot D Jikiri, Mayor of Indanan, Sulu, leads the covenant signing of rejecting the Abu Sayyaf Group to linger in the vicinity of all barangays of his municipality.
Over a month after the Jolo twin bombing incident last August 24, the Joint Task Force Sulu continues to mobilize all military assets to go after the group of Mundi Sawadjaan, the instigator of the Jolo violence. Focused combat operations in the hinterlands of Indanan, Patikul, and Talipao resulted to the seizure of Mundi’s hide out in Indanan last September 22 and surrender of eight (8) Indanan based ASGs under its arrested sub-leader Idang Susukan a day after. These feats were attributed to the collaborative efforts of Mayor Jikiri and 1101st Brigade Commander Col Antonio I Bautista Jr.
Sick and tired of spreading fear in Indanan, Mayor Jikiri along with his 34 Barangay Chairmen formally demonstrated their resentment through a pledge that declares the ASG as PERSONA NON GRATA in their municipality. They believe that their poverty was brought by the atrocities of the Abu Sayyaf as it intensely displaced thousands of residents, destroying their education, livelihood, and peaceful existence. Apart from disallowing the terror group’s presence, they adhere to work with JTF Sulu and Sulu Police Provincial Office to establish CAFGUs and BPATs as part of integrated defense system; they vow to empower Muslim families by instituting measures for sustainable livelihood and they guarantee to establish mechanisms to institutionalize Islamic values.
The covenant made by the people of Indanan is subsequent to that of Mayor Kabir E Hayudini’s courageous move to drive out the ASG in Patikul last August 27, three days after the Jolo twin bombing. It can be recalled that after Hayudini banned the ASGs in his municipality, battalions of 1102nd Brigade under BGen Ignatius N Patrimonio encountered the group of Mundi Sawadjaan and Radulan Sahiron in Patikul leading to the death of Samir Nani, Arsibar Sawadjaan, and 2 others last August 29, September 22, and September 28 following a hint from civilians of Brgys Kabontakas, Bungkaong, and Maligay; thereafter, thirteen (13) ASG members from Patikul, Indanan, and Talipao surrendered to JTF Sulu for fear of being killed in armed encounters and as persuaded by their families.
This historic event in Indanan was witnessed by Sulu Governor Abdusakur M Tan, WESTMINCOM Commander LtGen Corleto S Vinluan Jr, JTF Sulu Commander BGen William N Gonzales, PNP SAF Commander P/BGen Bernabe M Balba, PRO BAR Regional Director P/BGen Samuel P Rodriguez, 1102nd Brigade Commander Col Antonio I Bautista Jr, 1101st Brigade OIC Col Giovanni T Franza, and Sulu Police Provincial Director P/Col Michael C Bawayan Jr. All of them committed their support to Mayor Jikiri and the rest of the 81,000 Tausugs from Indanan.
-Lt Col Ronaldo Mateo PA, PIO, JTF Sulu
