February 5, 2002, AFP, Philippine leader vows renewed effort in anti-terror war,

February 5, 2002, AFP, Philippine leader vows renewed effort in anti-terror war,
Tuesday 12:21 PM

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo returned from a three-nation tour, vowing to forge ahead in the war against terrorism despite domestic criticism.

"The leaders and people of the world have seen our sense of sacrifice, our discipline and our universal ethics. They know and appreciate our unswerving stand against terrorism and poverty," Arroyo said Tuesday on return from her visits to Britain, Canada and the United States.

Arroyo said she frequently brought up the link between terrorism and poverty in her speeches to foreign groups.

She said she also discussed terrorism issues with King Abdullah of Jordan and he offered to provide the Philippines with intelligence on "international terrorists who maintain cells all over the region."

"He asked to send the head of my intelligence to Jordan so they can work out the intelligence fusion arrangements," Arroyo said without elaborating.

She said the Philippines had shown resilience after the September 11 terror attacks in the United States, allegedly masterminded by Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden.

However Arroyo did not mention the Philippines' own war against bin Laden-linked Abu Sayyaf Muslim gunmen in the south or the deployment of US troops there for a six-month joint operation against the kidnapping group.

The Americans launched their joint operations against the Abu Sayyaf last week as part of Washington's worldwide campaign against terror groups but local officials stress they will only train and advise Philippine soldiers and not join in actual combat.

Arroyo later told reporters her foreign audience was more concerned with the Philippines' economic growth than the deployment of hundreds of US soldiers.

This came amid new rumblings from Arroyo's vice president and concurrent foreign secretary, Teofisto Guingona, over her decision to allow as many as 660 US troops to take part in joint operations against the Abu Sayyaf.

Guingona had previously expressed misgivings over the US presence, hinting last month that he might quit if it pushes through. But he later decided to remain in the cabinet.

However in a radio interview Tuesday, Guingona expressed opposition to a reported presidential order cutting him out of a task force that monitors the US presence.