Davao City: After training his guns on drug lords, President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has now vowed to wipe out terror group Abu Sayyaf.
Speaking before businessmen in Davao City, Duterte was quoted as saying by CNN Philippines, he just needs time to dismantle the group.
“I cannot do it just immediately. There are things that I need which we do not have now. But there will be a time, there will be a reckoning. And when it comes, I will just say ‘Surrender unconditionally. Release all prisoners, hostages or we fight,’” Duterte reportedly said.
Duterte added he will only confront the issue if he gets a “firm commitment” from Moro groups in ongoing peace efforts that they have “peaceful intentions.”
“I have to have a firm commitment from our brother Moro about the continuity of the talks.”
“As soon as I get that guarantee na talagang peaceful ang intentions ninyo and you are not protecting terrorists… And when I have it in my hands, I’ll be ready to confront.”
Last week, Abu Sayyaf had beheaded one of its hostages, Robert Hall, after the government failed to give the PHP300 million ransom for each of the four Samal Island captives — Canadians John Ridsdel and Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Filipina Marites Flor — who were abducted in September 2015 from a resort in Samal Island, CNN Philippines reported.
