AFP to take war on drugs to BIFF, other bandit groups

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Monday vowed to take apart the drug apparatus of the country's lawless armed groups days after President Rodrigo Duterte said linked the Maute group to the illegal drug trade.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, chief of the AFP Public Affairs Office, said the AFP and the Philippine National Police would destroy the terrorist groups' "machinery for the illegal drug trade."

Arevalo in an interview made special mention of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

"We will relentlessly pursue the BIFF focusing on its organization and support systems that enables them to resist government operations to neutralize them," Arevalo said.

"We will, together with the PNP, dismantle their machinery for illegal drugs trade and destroy their links with like-minded terrorist groups," he added.

Arevalo said the line of effort would be also be employed against the Abu Sayaff Group and the Maute groups "that have been monitored and reported to be engaged in such nefarious activities."

Arevalo said the AFP would conduct "focused military operations to dislodge" the ASG and the Maute in their known lairs.

"We will endeavor to confine them in areas where they cannot capitalize on their supporters and sympathizers," Arevalo said.

"We will continue to build cooperation and partnerships with other agencies, government and private, for non-kinetic means of defeating terrorists threats," he added.

The military earlier said that its troops had driven the Maute Group members out of Butig, Lanao del Sur.

It said that at least 60 members of the group were killed during the offensive in December.

The group has at least 200 remaining members, believed to be hiding in forested areas in the outskirts of Butig, the AFP said.

Formed by former Moro Islamic Liberation Front members Omar and Abdullah Maute, the Maute Group has been linked to the Davao City blast in September and the improvised explosive device found near the US Embassy in Manila last month.

The group has gained enough attention for President Rodrigo Duterte to consider befriending its members while saying he was not ready to negotiate with them.

Meanwhile, the AFP said it would continue to support Duterte's initiative to clinch a peace agrement with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Frontr.

"This year, we will continue to uphold the primacy of the peace process in dealing with the CNN," said Arevalo, referring to the CPP-NPA-NDF.

"We will adhere to, as we have since the declaration, the Suspension Of Military Operations; abide by the provisions of Joint Ceasefire Declarations between the parties when one is signed," he added.

The third round of the peace talks is scheduled to be held in Rome next month from January 19 to 24. —Mark Merueñas/NB, GMA News