'They have no fixed locations and no permanent base'

Baguio City: Defence chief Gilbert Teodoro has pointed out difficulties encountered by the government in neutralising terror groups such as the Abu Sayyaf.

Speaking to reporters here during a National Forum on Disaster Management yesterday, Teodoro said the Abu Sayyaf's "guerrilla mode" of operations meant they were tricky to corner. "They (Abu Sayyaf) have no fixed locations and no permanent base."

The defence department had, therefore, been careful not to set a timetable for government troops to finish off the group, Teodoro said.

The government was trying to address the root cause of the insurgency by fast-tracking development initiatives, he said. "We are trans-shipping equipment to Mindanao for the development projects."