Philippines dismisses idea of anti-terror ops with US: 'We're quite capable'
"Like the president said, we are quite capable at this stage," Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said when asked about possible US military high-profile operation to assist the Philippines in countering ISIS. Presidential Photo/King Rodriguez
MANILA, Philippines — The government on Friday stressed that it is capable of handling the threat of the ISIS despite suggestions that the United States could help the country in countering the international terrorist group.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that the Philippines welcomes any support but insisted that the government is "quite capable" at this stage.
"We welcome any support but at this stage we take the lead along with the regional states around us and as we have demonstrated, we have already actually preempted the establishment of such a a state supposedly," Abella said in a press briefing.
American Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, suggested that the US military should start a higher-profile "named operation" helping the Philippines to counter ISIS.
READ: ISIS threat in Southeast Asia alarms Washington
A small number of US special forces remain in "advise and assist" role in the Philippines as the long-running US military operation to help Philippine forces to contain extremist fighters had been canceled three years ago.
“I don’t know that ISIS are directing operations there but they are certainly trying to get fighters into that region... We need to address the situation. It should not get out of control," Ernst said.
Abella, however, said that the Philippines has not yet accepted the offer of the US regarding a named operation against the international terrorist group.
"There is no report on accepting that offer if it is," Abella said.
US forces have assisted Filipino troops in their operations against the Maute group but their assistance had been limited to intelligence sharing.
The Royal Australian Air Force has offered to send two surveillance aircraft to assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines in its operations against local terror groups.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the operation of these aircraft will not require the embedding of Australian personnel with Filipino troops on the ground.
READ: Australia sends spy planes to Marawi
Two AP-3C Orion aircraft will be used in Marawi City for two weeks as agreed upon by Australia and the Philippines. — Video report by Efigenio Toledo IV
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