Sulu still most likely site for next Balikatan – Abaya

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The US military is still considering Sulu as the venue for the Balikatan 03-1 exercises and not any other area in Mindanao, top military officials said.

Incoming Armed Forces chief of staff Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya said Sulu, which was originally chosen as the next site of the joint RP-US military exercise, remained the top priority of the US military.

Abaya did not elaborate on why the US still prefers to hold the military exercises in the province despite the reported opposition of its local leaders and residents.

US military sources, however, said the Americans still intended to keep the neutralization of the Abu Sayyaf a key objective of the next Balikatan following the success of the war games last year in Basilan, stronghold of the Islamic extremist group.

The war games in Basilan forced the Abu Sayyaf to disperse. Many of the guerrillas linked up with another faction in neighboring Sulu.

Sulu had earlier rejected proposals for it to host the Balikatan 03-1 exercises, citing that any untoward incident involving an American soldier could trigger a wider military confrontation that could displace residents.

Brig. Gen. Joseph Weber, chief US Special Operations Command of the Pacific Area Commander (SOPAC), arrived here recently to meet with Abaya and visit US forces engaged in a humanitarian mission and training of four light infantry battalions of Filipino soldiers.

Weber has also started meeting with Sulu’s local leaders.

Abaya said Balikatan 03-1 will be held under different terms of reference (TOR) and will be based on people’s sentiments.

"But the form, place and number of personnel that will be involved in the future exercise are not yet final," he said.

"What I can be sure of is that the terms of reference (of Balikatan 02-1 held in Basilan last year) will not be copied and implemented. It will be a very much modified version of the Balikatan 02-1," he added.

Previous reports from the Pentagon said Balikatan 03-1 will involve about 1,700 US forces aside from the 400 that will be deployed in Zamboanga City as support personnel.

Abaya said he is not sure whether the US forces will be allowed to join Filipino soldiers operating at the company level.

US military sources said Weber is touching base with both military and local government officials to make sure all sectors expected to be affected by the next Balikatan will be consulted on the war games. He is also assessing what the Philippine military needs to fight the Abu Sayyaf.

The Americans want to avoid a repeat of the flap over a potential combat role for US troops who will be deployed against the Abu Sayyaf, the sources said.

Weber will submit within two weeks a report of his assessment to Admiral Thomas Fargo, commander in chief of US forces in the Pacific. Fargo will then confer with US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on details of the next Balikatan.

The final terms will have to be approved by the Philippines.