Discover the Hidden Gem in Former Abu Sayyaf Enclaves in Sulu
Doctor Michael Macion of the Bangsamoro health ministry has good stories to tell about their tour in Sulu last August. (Handout photo)
Unknown to most Filipinos, white sand beach resorts in former enclaves of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu have been operating round-the-clock for two years now.
The province was declared ‘Abu Sayyaf free’ by a provincial peace and security coordinating group last month. This remarkable feat is credited to the local government units and the multi-sector Sulu Provincial Peace and Order Council, which successfully secured the surrender of over 400 Abu Sayyaf members in the past six years through backchannel negotiations.
During an official tour in the province last August, physician Michael Macion, the regional coordinator for hospital management and concerns in the Bangsamoro health ministry, experienced firsthand the peace and calm that now envelops Sulu.
Macion and his companions were impressed with the tranquility of the province and had the opportunity to visit a beautiful beach resort in Parang municipality, where they enjoyed their time.
The Abu Sayyaf, founded in Basilan by the religious extremist Abduradjak Janjalani, once had strongholds in most of the 18 towns in Sulu.
However, these strongholds have been transformed into ‘peace villages,’ and former Abu Sayyaf members who have reintegrated into mainstream society are now protecting these areas from incursions by criminals and other threats.
According to Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), the deployment of an Army battalion comprised of Tausug personnel in Sulu about three years ago played a significant role in weakening the presence of the Abu Sayyaf.
Soldiers who speak the local vernacular and share the same cultural background as the people of Sulu were able to establish a strong connection with the community and effectively combat the extremist group.
The Bangsamoro Ministry of the Interior and Local Government has also been instrumental in supporting the LGUs in Sulu through capacity-building programs and other essential interventions.
The ministry is currently constructing an Abu Sayyaf reformatory center in Barangay Langhub in Patikul, Sulu. This facility will serve as a livelihood skills learning and religious reorientation center for violent religious extremists who have returned to the fold of the law.
Brig. Gen. Nobleza expressed gratitude to the ministry for providing police patrol cars to enhance the mobility of the policemen securing once dangerous areas in Sulu. These initiatives have contributed to the overall peace and security in the province.
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