Women being hired to fight Abu Sayyaf

Mindanao: The local government in the southern Philippines has started recruiting women for a paramilitary operation against Abu Sayyaf, an official said.

Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan City said the local government has started enlisting women for the militia force.

Lamitan's local government unit has organised the Special Civilian Active Auxiliary (SCAA), which will be in charge of hiring and training women as part of a community-based effort to fighting terror.

"They will be trained for several months before being deployed to do their job in the community," Mayor Furigay said.

"Women were chosen to do special military work for the community because of their expertise in intelligence gathering," the mayor explained, adding the women will be trained to handle cases of women. He hinted that Abu Sayyaf also has women members. He did not give details.

Stationary forces

The women militia members will serve as the stationary forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in maintaining peace and order, explained Mayor Furigay.

Other local government units will start implementing the same approach to fight terrorism, he said.

Lamitan's local government unit was ahead of all other local government units in hiring women as militias, he added.