CINCPAC on war games: RP in charge

The commander-in-chief of US forces in the Pacific (CINCPAC) has made it clear that the Philippine military is in charge of operations against the Abu Sayyaf terror group in Basilan, with Americans only playing an advisory role.

"There is no question that this is a Philippine operation. They’re in charge," US Admiral Dennis Blair said in a recent interview with a news network in Singapore. "It involves Philippine units with Philippine officers under Philippine control with US forces as advisers."

About 600 American personnel are expected to arrive in the Philippines for the annual joint war exercise dubbed as Balikatan 2002, which was formally launched in Zamboanga City the other day. The operations may include forays to Basilan island, where Abu Sayyaf bandits are holding a US couple hostage.

When asked how long he expected US troops to be stationed in the Philippines, Blair replied: "I would say it’s going to be months, but not years."

He also stressed that the operations will not extend against other armed Muslim groups like the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"Our advisers and supporters are against the Abu Sayyaf group and not the MILF," Blair said.

He likewise downplayed the proactive nature of the US mission in the Philippines.

"It is important to remember that this just didn’t start yesterday," Blair said. "About a year ago, we trained a Philippine light reaction company to be more effective in hostage situations."

The role of the US effort in the Philippines, he pointed out, would be in the area of equipment, intelligence, training and good tactical doctrine.

"Everything that we bring is in support of Philippine actions. We can provide technical intelligence, in which we have advantages to complement the human intelligence which is pretty developed in the Philippines," Blair said.

He noted that during operations, US troops accompanying their Philippine counterparts will be there as advisers of the Filipino commander.

"The US troops will not be running the show. The Philippine commanders make the decisions. They can ask for assistance," Blair said.

He stressed, however, that US troops have the right to self-defense. "When caught in a firefight as part of a team, you help return fire with the people around you," Blair said.

He said there is a renewed sense of urgency on the part of the Philippines because of the international threat of terrorism.

"We’ve got smart soldiers who are very adaptive and they can, working with their Philippine comrades in arms, who are in my observation are also very good soldiers, can win this thing," he said.

Blair stressed that a big part of the program in the Philippines would be to bring in economic development to the people.

"President Arroyo said it very eloquently; it’s a war on terrorism and a war on poverty. We in uniform cannot finally solve problems like the ones in southern Philippines. It has to be economic development, social development, along with better security in the region," he said.

Ople hits paranoia

Sen. Blas Ople, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations, twitted yesterday for their "over-exercised imagination" persons who are warning that the Americans are about to bomb the Philippines as they did to Afghanistan.

Several leaders of leftist organizations claimed that American bombs are about to fall on the Philippines because of the statement of US President George W. Bush against states hosting or sponsoring international terrorism.

"This kind of paranoia is foreclosing an intelligent debate on the use of the RP-US joint military training exercises," Ople said.

He noted that in his State of the Union address, Bush said US forces were in the Philippines to help train Philippine forces and enhance their capability to fight the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

US Ambassador Robert Fitts has also clarified that Bush did not refer to the Philippines as a potential target but in fact acknowledged the country as a valued ally.

"It takes a fevered imagination to put the Philippines, a US ally, in the same category as North Korea, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan," Ople said.

He contended that Filipino communists are merely revealing their dread of being tagged as international terrorists themselves, just like the Abu Sayyaf. He explained that once they are tagged as terrorists, Filipino communists would suffer dire consequences, including illegal interdictions of their funding and their physical movements.

In a related development, Ople said that Vice President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona Jr. has already confirmed his attendance at the continuation of the joint Senate hearing on the Balikatan exercises.

He said that former Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Romulo would also be invited as the Senate wants to look into the reported schism in the formulation of foreign policies.

He said he expected both Guingona and Romulo to level with the Senate about the Balikatan exercises, just launched Thursday in Zamboanga City.

"I will ask Guingona to submit to the Senate the terms of reference on the Balikatan as approved by President Arroyo," he said.

He added that they would also require the submission of a copy of the report on the meeting between Bush and President Arroyo last Nov. 20 at the White House Oval Office.

"There is a rule that an embassy must submit to the home office detailed reports on meetings between Philippine officials and foreign government representatives on the same day, if possible. We would like to rely on such authentic official records," Ople explained.

It will be recalled that discussions on US assistance to the Philippines in fighting international terrorists were held at the Oval Office on Nov. 20. - With Efren Danao