The next president should hit the ground running after this notorious group.

If he or she is drawing up a list of criminals who must be neutralized, then without doubt Abu Sayyaf occupies the number one spot.

Hindi na n’ya kailangang maghanap pa ng sindikatong sasampolan. Matagal nang nagpiprisinta ang mga Abu Sadong ito.

They are the most violent criminal syndicate in the country today. Their barbarity actually lands them among Asia’s most brutal. We have a regional obligation to stamp them out and wipe clean this blot on our national image.

Abu Sayyaf’s victims are not just counted by the number of body bags, which are already in the hundreds since it began its bloody business a quarter-of-a-century ago.

What must be tallied too are losses they have inflicted on our economy. Lands are idled by farmers too afraid to till, vacation plans are cancelled by tourists who are discouraged by bad publicity, investments are aborted.

Wiping out Abu Sayyaf is the Artikulo Uno of the next president’s urgent things to do.