1,700 more US troops due next month for war games in CL

Another batch of 1,700 American troops are coming to the Philippines next month for a joint military exercise with some 2,100 Filipino soldiers, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said yesterday.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan said the two-week war games which unfold on April 22 will be held at the sprawling Fort Magsaysay in Laur, Nueva Ecija, as well as in Clark Field in Pampanga and a naval base at Sangley Point in Cavite.

Adan said the annual exercise dubbed "Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder), 02-1" will be conducted under the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States.

He pointed out that the forthcoming maneuvers would be separate from the six-month joint military training exercise now going on in Basilan island and Zamboanga City in Mindanao. The exercise involves 660 US servicemen, among them 160 Special Forces troops, and about 3,000 Filipino soldiers .

Adan said the forthcoming exercise in Luzon is meant to enhance the "interoperability" and combat readiness of the military of both countries.

The Luzon war games would involve amphibious landing and field training exercises.

AFP officials earlier confirmed that the US has asked permission to deploy an additional 300 soldiers to complement its contingent in Mindanao.

President Arroyo said she sees nothing wrong with the request, but added she has not received any formal notice yet.

The 160 US Special Forces in Basilan were split into 12-man teams that joined nine AFP battalions conducting search and rescue operations for an American missionary couple and a Filipina nurse being held hostage by Abu Sayyaf bandits in the jungle-clad island-province of Basilan.

But the Americans’ participation would be limited to training, advising and evaluating the efficiency of the Filipino troops in anti-terrorism maneuvers. They are allowed, however, to fire back in self-defense.

Meanwhile, a multinational team of observers will visit Basilan next week to assess the impact of the US presence in the province.

The 19-member international peace mission would be composed of parliamentarians, social activists and scholars from Europe, Asia and the United States.

The team will hold dialogues with local officials, community leaders, military commanders and join public hearings by a congressional committee on human and civil rights.

Among the mission members are Thai Sen. Kraizak Choonavan, European parliamentarian Pierre Rousette and Matti Wuori and a member of Australia’s New South Wales Legislative Council Lee Rhiannon and the mission’s convenor, Filipino Prof. Walden Bello.

The Philippine troops have intensified their hunt for the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers using modern US surveillance equipment and satellite data, as well as manned and unmanned spy planes, leading to increased clashes that have so far left four soldiers wounded and one killed over the weekend.

The military said the fighting dealt a heavy toll on the Abu Sayyaf but no figures were made available.

‘Mindanao residents support Balikatan’ Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said a majority of local leaders and residents of Mindanao support the deployment of US forces who will carry out a parallel social outreach program including construction of roads, bridges and schoolhouses.

"The people of Mindanao want more than security. They also want infrastructure like roads, bridges, etc. They want more troops to conduct civic action programs," Reyes said.

He reiterated, however, that there has been no formal request yet from the US to send additional troops to Mindanao.

Community welfare can better be served if we expand coverage to include dental and medical services," Reyes added.

In another development, Malacañang confirmed reports that the US will stage an Asia-wide anti-terrorist military exercise that will involve forces from the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea and Australia to exemplify global unity against terrorism.

Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said the US plan has been relayed and presented to the defense department by AFP chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva.

He said the plan was drawn up based on separate joint exercises separately held by the US with the four Asian countries. The maneuvers with the Philippines was code-named "Balikatan," "Tandem Thrust" with South Korea, "Cobra-Gold" with Thailand and "Team Spirit" with Australia. — With Marichu Villanueva, Roel Pareño, Pia Lee-Brago, Mayen Jaymalin, Charlie Filipinas, AFP