President Rodrigo Duterte renewed his order for the police and the military to destroy the Abu Sayyaf after the head of a young man was recovered in Indanan town, Sulu province on Wednesday night.

“That’s why I am sending the troops there and tell them to destroy (the Abu Sayyaf),” Duterte in a press conference early Wednesday in Davao City .

Major Felimon Tan, Western Mindanao Command spokesman said the head of Patrick Jhames Almodavar was wrapped in a plastic bag and was left by three alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf aboard a motorcycle at the vicinity of barangay Kadjatan around 7:30pm.

Tan said based on an initial report, the victim was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf around 3pm on Wednesday after his relatives failed to pay a ransom demand. He said Almodavar was abducted last July 16, 2016 in Jolo, Sulu.

Tan said since this month the military has been sending more soldiers to Basilan and Sulu but did not disclose the number.

He said before this latest deployment, the military has around 5,000 soldiers in Sulu and about 3,000 troops in Basilan. Celerina Monte/Robina Asido