“The Abu Sayyaf, destroy them. Period.”
This may be the strategy of kill one monkey to scare ten.
Abu Sayyaf is the smallest of the muslim rebel groups, and the most closely affiliated with al Queda. The more tribal Moro islamic groups are bigger and more integrated with local families and communities.
Stacking Abu Sayyaf bodies first will put the fear of God into the Moro tribe, and bring them to the negotiating table.
They know that he doesn’t fool around - he was well known for running death squads on Mindanao, while he mayor of the biggest city there. Now he has the whole Army and Air Force at his disposal.
Communists, drug cartels , and MOZLUMS terrorists are only defeated by scorched earth campaigns including death squads.
“Press” enemy sympathizers are fair game.