it took five months for the Philippine
Army to drive isis-linked separatist
group out of the city of murali in that
time the battle displaced 360,000 people
and left more than a thousand people
dead it also exposed just how vulnerable
the Philippines has become to extremism
now the military is intensifying its
fight against terrorists and it's called
for reinforcements president rodrigo
duterte is partnering with Malaysia and
Indonesia to launch air and sea patrols
throughout the region the new front in
the fight against Isis linked terrorists
is patrolling the same waterways that
foreign fighters have exploited in the
past terrorists from different countries
like Malaysia Indonesia were reported to
have passed in these waters this is a
vast ceilings that is very difficult to
patrol we first met major row in Venus
in Malawi during the height of the
battle
analyses this multinational strategy at
sea what happened in Malawi is an
eye-opener for us so we are learning
from it and improving our capabilities
to prevent similar incidents and prevent
terrorists to come in our region
government has been criticized for
allowing Malawi to happen so you see
this as the government taking steps to
be proactive in combating terrorism
before it takes a hold
yes what is happening right now is we
are increasing our capabilities in
combating terrorism that is the marching
order of our commander in chief to
prevent incidents like what had happened
in morale even though the Philippines is
putting a lot of resources into keeping
terrorists out of its waters the real
fight is taking place on land this
remote island is the stronghold of Abu
Sayyaf the brutal extremist group with
ties to Isis
leading the fight here is General Sir
Alito super Hana the commander of Joint
Task Force Sousou be Hana has fought at
we say F for three decades and has the
battle scars to prove it I have a
shattered rapport arm they put a metal
aim plate that long with five screws so
it was shattered no bones hold my hand
anymore
I have bullet wounds on my arm my head
on my stomach and my buttocks I have
five - at wounds all in all do you think
that that's something inherent about
this area that means that this kind of
terrorism is going to exist for a long
time
what is poverty wind I bush I up started
their kidnapping activity and they get
ransom this year the ransom money to the
community nearby so in exchange of money
the community provided support to them
since he took command last year
Suba hana has scaled up Special Forces
patrols and pounded militant strongholds
with more than 2,000 rounds of artillery
No
I won but the enemy is so entrenched in
the community that the military has now
turned to local civilian militias who
are more familiar with the land why do
you feel like you need civilians to
train here actually these people are not
the the terrain nor the place they call
the enemy they report the presence of
the terrorists they're used to fighting
these are members in the province after
45 days of combat training and target
practice these militiamen get paid by
the government to fight alongside the
military on their home turf
these people are permanent residents
here you soldiers to leave them they can
fight the uterus here is it a concerned
I mean Abu Sayyaf does have a strong
presence on this island and the weapons
you're providing them this knowledge and
training you're providing what you could
easily end up in the hands of we don't
worry about them because we don't employ
a fight themselves alone we employ them
with our regular forces every so we
ensure that the the move they fight
alongside the regular forces so we don't
lose entirely these firearms 500 have
graduated so far and an additional 200
will be trained in the coming months
but for all the stepped up military
presence the troops haven't been able to
cut off aid with a F from its main
revenue source kidnapping for ransom
this is where a lot of terrorist
activities take place and we're trying
to find a family down here because we've
heard that several members of this
family have been kidnapped in the last
few days
Frederic Trinidad showed us how eleven
armed men surrounded his home and
kidnapped his parents and four other
family members just three days before
you know a little young but they've got
check out that iconic oh they don't you
got okay got you una muchacha de tu
Tinto canal a vehicle puzzle puzzle did
the six of them who were taken trying to
escape
did they try and run democratic Oscar
she didn't Poconos Lillian model to try
and raise the three thousand dollars
demanded in ransom the family sold this
house but if they still can't find the
remaining cash the kidnappers are
threatening to execute the hostages how
does it feel now that your parents are
gone being here alone which I could
token anymore Michael I think
[Music]
the more Abu Sayyaf is able to keep
terrorizing local communities and make
money off kidnapping the more it will
continue to pose a threat to the entire
region we sat down with a member of Abu
Sayyaf who allegedly smuggled explosives
and ammunition for the group in the
run-up to Malawi
he's now locked away in a sofa crowded
prison with more than a hundred other
suspected terrorists prison officers
were present throughout this interview
the prisoner says he's speaking to us of
his own free will
it's what happened in Meroe helping I
was there or is it harming them
important day for bosses
I think they succeed the government is
saying that this is a victory for them
Mujahideen has no losses even though
they were lost in battle even though
they will die they will still win why
because they have rewarded by God so let
me just get this straight you believe
that Abu Sayyaf members were doing
honest work
yes because all the deeds
written in the holy quran but there are
hundreds of innocent questions innocent
civilians who did nothing to these men
and they killed them in that case if the
war begins you cannot avoid that is this
the end of extremism in the Philippines
or is this beginning it is just a
beginning said Marat he was a success
yes
[Music]
you