GMA declares victory of RP-US ties vs terrorism

President Arroyo hoisted the victory standard yesterday for RP-US strategic partnership to spearhead the war against terrorism in Southeast Asia.

"We know the growing risk of terrorism, and we are continuously sharpening our diplomatic, organization and intelligence resources to confront it," she said in a statement from Malacañang.

"We are acting domestically, regionally and globally to meet the threat and we have strategic partnership with Washington for long-term political and economic security."

Speaking in Davao City, Mrs. Arroyo said the Armed Forces modernization program will get a boost from the RP-US Joint Defense Assessment, which focuses on the five-year US assistance for the country’s anti-terror campaign.

"The Joint Defense Assessment of the capability of our AFP... will (bring) more multi-year, multimillion-dollar military assistance from the US and of course... this supports our modernization which we are refashioning to increase our capability to fight terrorism," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo said Congress has already allocated hundreds of millions of pesos for the Armed Forces modernization program.

"We will combine these authorities with the US military to modernize the Armed Forces in such a way that its capability will be increased in fighting terrorism," she said.

"I have said we are putting JI on top of the list of our public enemies, and when we’re going to talk about the capability of our AFP and what are the prospects for increasing the capability, the prospects are very good indeed."

Mrs. Arroyo said a number of combat helicopters with night flying capabilities, which the US has recently delivered, are now deployed in Zamboanga City.

"There is now ongoing training program with US counterparts on how to use these helicopters properly, and that is outside the JDA and outside the non-NATO ally status," she said.

A 500-strong US military contingent has landed in the former US naval base at Subic Bay to take part in the regular Talon military exercises with Filipino troops, she added.

Meanwhile, a US State Department official told the US Congress that "limited resources and internal weaknesses" are preventing the Philippines from fighting terrorism.

"The government of President Arroyo is a committed and valued partner in the war on terrorism, but limited resources and internal weaknesses constrain our close ally’s efforts to fulfill its commitments," said Matthew Daley, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Daley’s testimony is posted in the US embassy’s website. — Marichu Villanueva, Marvin Sy