Fresh batch of US military advisers arrive in Zambo

ZAMBOANGA City — A fresh batch of American counter-terrorism experts flew in here yesterday morning to advise Filipino troops battling Abu Sayyaf bandits in the nearby island province of Basilan.

The team immediately proceeded to the military’s Southern Command (Southcom) headquarters upon arrival at the Edwin Andrews Air Base aboard a US military C-130 cargo plane.

Southcom spokesman Lt. Col. Danilo Servando said the military advisers came from the US Pacific Area Command based in Hawaii headed by Admiral Dennis Blair.

"They are part of the whole US trainors who will be here for the three-month training (of Filipino soldiers)," Servando said.

Eight other US military experts arrived here last month to install communications equipment needed by the more than 100 US soldiers expected to arrive next month.

AFP chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva said a final conference will be held at the Southcom to decide the exact date of the start of the training.

Villanueva held it likely that the training will begin next week after the plan has been approved by Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes.

A barracks inside an Army camp in Malagutay district in Zamboanga City has been allocated for the use of the US soldiers.

Officials said the Americans will be allowed to go to the battlefront to assess AFP operations against the Abu Sayyaf.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan said the presence of US troops in encounter sites are necessary to observe the performance of the Filipino soldiers in test missions after the training.

"Test missions are done in the areas of operations. In the AFP doctrine, this is normal. You are training but at the same time, you are put against the enemy," Adan said.

Servando clarified that the visitors will not take part in actual combat or rescue operations for the three remaining Abu Sayyaf hostages consisting of American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham of Wichita, Kansas and Filipino nurse Deborah Yap.

The training program, dubbed "Balance Piston," will include jungle warfare and survival techniques.

Blair said US special forces sent to the Philippines must be careful that tactics "go after the bad people, not the good."

He described the mission as "difficult" and could take months to complete.