I love it!  I've been a little leery of getting my cano butt shot off if I should go back to visit, but it's about time something was done about these guys.  There are some Moro guys fighting with the Taliban right now in Kunduz.  Hope some of them come home in a real small balikbayan box...

Abu Sayyef has been terrorizing the locals, and killing them if they cooperate with the AFP, so getting these guys has been difficult.  Methinks that it's a good thing that the gloves have come off, and a better one that Filipinos and Americans are serving together again.  My late father-in-law was a Philippine Scout  (SSGT, Troop "G", 26th U.S. Cavalry (PS)) and my great uncle was captured at Corregidor, and didn't survive his internment by the Japanese.

The Moros have been fighting for hundreds of years, and we've been making some great inroads to peace with the "mainstream" Moros on Mindanao, but I think even they recognize that Abu Sayyef is nothing but a bunch of thugs.

Nope.  These are the guys who want Zamboanga to be an Islamic state, and want Christians out of Davao, Mindanao, Jolo, and Zamboanga.  They're based on Jolo.

The MILF and NPA have been pretty quiet lately, and the MILF are sticking to Mindanao.

NPA is still prevalent, even in Pampanga and Baguio, where it's pretty safe to be a cano out at night.  I've met a few NPA folks, who knew that my friend that was with me was former IMIG, and that I am DEFINITELY anti-communist, but treated me OK (one even bought me a San Miguel).  I was a little nervous, even though my friend was carrying.  I wasn't "allowed" to, since it was around election time [;)]  THAT has got to be one of the most stupid laws I've heard of:  You cannot carry, even with a permit, 6 months before and 6 months after an election.

I did notice also that the NPA guys were ALL carrying...  It's amazing that family and friends come before politics.  At least until someone gets TOO "toasty."