By Genalyn D. Kabiling, Yas D. Ocampo, and Francis T. Wakefield President Duterte has ruled out the declaration of a state of emergency in Sulu despite the brutal killing of 15 soldiers by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and reiterated his resolve to destroy the terrorist/bandit group once and for all. The President assured that government forces are already conducting punitive offensives against the Abu Sayyaf terrorists to hold them accountable for their crimes. “The magnitude of the trouble there does not warrant anything except the industry of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police),” he said in a news conference shortly before he flew to Zamboanga City to visit the wake of the slain soldiers. Fifteen soldiers were killed in heavy fighting with the Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Patikul, Sulu last Monday. Two soldiers were reportedly beheaded by the group as the country was [...]
