The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) downplayed yesterday reports that Filipino Muslim rebels were training in Taliban militia camps in Afghanistan, saying such intelligence information was not exactly new.
"That’s not new or news," said Marine Col. Francisco Gudani, deputy chief for operations of the AFP’s Southern Command based in Zamboanga City
Gudani said the more than 50 Filipino Muslims spotted training in Taliban camps in Afghanistan were part of an "old batch," adding most, if not all of the trainees have returned to Mindanao and rejoined their mother units in the struggle for an independent Islamic state.
Some of them may have already been killed in clashes with government forces, he added.
Gudani also held it likely that some of these Afghan-trained Muslim guerrillas have fought side by side with the Taliban against the Russian invaders.
A ranking military intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said among those who trained and fought in the Afghan War were Abubakar Abdurajak Janjalani and Abu Sabaya, founder and spokesman, respectively, of the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf.
The others were Amilhussin Jamaani and Wahab Akbar, who has since rejoined the mainstream of society and eventually became governor of Basilan.
Janjalani was killed in a gunbattle with the police in Lamitan town in Basilan on Dec. 18, 1998.
The source said Janjalani, Jumaani and Akbar also trained in Libya, Iran and Syria which commonly support extremist Muslim groups.
The source added that the Philippine intelligence community often receive reports about Filipino Muslims training or joining extremist groups in such countries as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Syria, Libya and Saudi Arabia.
To avoid detection of the real purpose of their departure, the trainees were officially recorded as beneficiaries of Islamic study grants under the sponsorship of sympathetic non-government organizations (NGOs). Others left as tourists or overseas contract workers.
Those being sent abroad were mostly Abu Sayyaf fighters who have proven their worth on the battlefield, the source said.
PNP community relations chief Director Thompson Lantion said the scheme also involves the deployment of more policemen to these facilities and help prevent the entry of potential troublemakers.
"The best thing to prevent any eventuality is to preempt the entry of persons trying to bring in chemical, biological and radiological materials which can be used in (terrorist) attacks," Lantion said.
He said the PNP has been closely coordinating with the military and the Immigration and Customs bureaus in line with the implementation of Oplan Jumbo.
Lantion said the operation formed part of the PNP’s response to President Arroyo’s call for the launching of an all-out war against terrorism.
Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina revealed that investigators have identified five business firms and non-government organizations set up in the Philippines by Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, principal suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks on Washington and New York.
Lina said the government has already initiated moves to freeze the assets of these businesses and NGOs which he declined to identify pending completion of investigations.
In another development, senators cautioned the President against rushing the sending of troops to Afghanistan to assist American forces in waging an all-out war against international terrorist Bin Laden’s al-Qaeda guerrillas.
Senate President Franklin Drilon said it is too early for Mrs. Arroyo to talk about deployment of Philippine troops, adding that allowing US personnel to use their former military bases in Clark Field in Pampanga and Subic Bay in Zambales would suffice for the time being.
Pimentel and Ople said Mrs. Arroyo could not unilaterally decide on the sending of troops to fight abroad with allied forces without the concurrence of Congress.
Earlier, Sen. Ramon Magsaysay said the country should not be at the frontline of the multinational campaign against terrorism.
For their part, Senators Gregorio Honasan and Rodolfo Biazon said it would be best for the government to solve first its problems about the Abu Sayyaf before committing troops outside the country.
Ople said he would file a resolution enabling the Chief Executive appropriate use of force in fulfilling its commitments both to the international coalition against terrorism and the Mutual Defense Treaty with the US.
"There should be prior authorization," Ople said.
Unlike in the past when former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada sent troops as peacekeeping forces in East Timor, Ople said the present Congress would not allow such unilateral move by the President to happen again.
Despite the specter of war looming large over the Middle East, specifically Afghanistan, thousands of Filipino workers continue to leave daily for the region.
"Up to now, there are 2,300 who leave on a daily basis," said Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas. - With reports from Paolo Romero, Christina Mendez, Aurea Calica, Jaime Laude, Marichu Villanueva, Sandy Araneta