A new task force created by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will run after the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Mindanao.
Joint Task Force (JTF) "Orion" was formed by the AFP's Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) following the deactivation of JTF "Basilan" and JTF "Sulu", WestMinCom commander Maj. Gen. Steve Crespillo said in a statement on Thursday, Sept. 28.
"The Higher Headquarters provided us an opportunity to reconfigure and reorganize our forces in Sulu and Basilan as the need for specialized, highly coordinated, and adaptive military units has become paramount," Crespillo said.
According to Crespillo, JTF Orion is a "multi-service, multi-domain task force organized to address and provide unity of command in confronting the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf Group."
It is also tasked to urge peace-inclined armed groups (PIAGs) "to support and participate in the implementation of various government peace programs through peace process mechanisms."
The newly-activated task force has operational jurisdiction over the provinces of Basilan and Sulu, and will be headed by Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, concurrent commander of the 11th Infantry Division (11ID).
Since the ASG's inception in 1989, the AFP said it has made significant strides in eradicating the threat of the Jihadist militant group in the country, which is evident with the absence of related terror activity in the past couple of years.
The group was notorious for carrying out bombings, kidnappings, extortion activities, and assassinations.
The AFP has since shifted its attention to external defense following the "success" of its internal security operations against ASG and other local threat groups.