The recent encounter in Basilan was with the Abu Sayaff Group. This group has been in the news for the past days starting from the hunt for the killers of the Marines in July. They were alleged to be involved in the kidnapping of Fr. Bossi and the beheading of the soldiers. Unfortunately, our troops have suffered a lot already.
Nevertheless, the President's call for a continued offensive in Mindanao is still a good call. Now that the military has suffered large casualties in this war, our brave soldiers will surely be more than willing to push through in putting an end in the ASG's atrocities.