COTABATO CITY — Officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and business groups are glad that Basilan had totally been cleared from the presence of the Abu Sayyaf terror group.

Basilan, which has 11 towns and two cities, Lamitan and Isabela, was declared Abu Sayyaf-free during a symbolic multi-sector rite on Monday.

Mohammad O. Pasigan, chairman of the Bangsamoro Regional Board of Investments, told reporters on Tuesday that the feat will certainly hasten their efforts to entice investors from other regions and from abroad to venture into viable, capital-intensive businesses in Basilan.

“The province has been rising fast, even before that ceremony, as a new investment hub in the Bangsamoro region. This positive development will make Basilan shine even more as an investment destination,” Mr. Pasigan, whose office is the conduit of the Bangsamoro government to local and foreign investors, said.

Gov. Hadjiman H. Salliman told reporters on Tuesday that it was the joint peacebuilding programs of their provincial government, the military’s Western Mindanao Command, the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade led by Brig. Gen. Alvin V. Luzon, the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) and local executives in Basilan that virtually liberated their province from the Abu Sayyaf terror group.

Merchants in Lamitan City and members of the Basilan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, whose president is Alex Abujen C. Jr., were quoted in Tuesday’s radio reports as saying that they are thankful to Mr. Salliman, the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade, the PRO-BAR, the Police Regional Office-9 based in nearby Zamboanga City, Basilan Rep. Mujiv S. Hataman, the Moro National Liberation Front, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and their 13 mayors for having secured the surrender of 523 Abu Sayyaf members in Basilan from 2016 to 2022 via backchannel dialogues.

Ronald Hallid D. Torres, chairman of the Bangsamoro Business Council, said on Tuesday that they are contemplating on formulating, along with experts in the trade and tourism and agriculture ministries in the regional government, comprehensive investment plans for Basilan that capitalists from outside can possibly engage in.

“We are certain that Basilan’s being Abu Sayyaf-free now will be a strong magnet that will attract them in,” Mr. Torres said. — John Felix M. Unson

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