Zamboanga folk get US sports equipment

United States forces participating in a joint training exercise with Filipino soldiers in Mindanao donated over 2,000 kilos of sports equipment, toys and relief goods to the Zamboanga City government as part of a social outreach program.

Brig. Gen. Donald Wurster, commander of the US contingent, said the donation was part of a huge shipment of toys and relief goods that arrived recently from the US Kadena air base in Okinawa, Japan.

Maj. Cynthia Teramae, spokeswoman for the US Special Operations Command Joint Task Force 510, said the items were solicited by volunteers of the 353rd Special Operations Group Maintenance Squadron.

The donation was turned over to Zamboanga City Mayor Ma. Clara Lobregat, who will supervise distribution to her indigent constituents.

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said there is no formal proposal much less a decision by President Arroyo to increase the number of US personnel taking part in the joint military exercise dubbed Balikatan 02-1.

Tiglao said the idea was apparently being floated by certain quarters that were eyeing the addition of a non-military component to the US contingent to conduct civic action in Basilan and Zamboanga City.

At present, 160 members of the US Special Forces have joined Filipino troops engaged in search and rescue operations for an American missionary couple and a Filipino nurse being held hostage for nine months now by Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Basilan.

Five hundred other US soldiers were on standby in Zamboanga City and Cebu City. — Roel Pareño, Marichu Villanueva