3 more battalions to join hunt for Sulu militants
Quezon City (21 October) -- THE MILITARY will deploy three more battalions, or roughly 1,500 troops, to Sulu to increase the chances of getting three Al Qaeda-linked extremist leaders.
Armed Forces chief of staff General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. announced the deployment during a command conference in Camp Aguinaldo late Friday afternoon.
The fresh troops will bring to 7,500 the number of soldiers going after Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and Jemaah Islamiyah operatives Umar Patek and Dulmatin, the alleged brains of the 2002 Bali bombings.
"We want to capture them, that's why we're increasing our troops," Esperon said. (PIA) [top]
