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June 17, 2002, Asian Political News, Arroyo vows anew to pursue Abu Sayyaf rebels.

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June 17, 2002, Asian Political News, Arroyo vows anew to pursue Abu Sayyaf rebels.

MANILA, June 11 (Kyodo) Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo vowed Tuesday her administration will not flag in its efforts to pursue the al Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels no matter how long it takes. 

''Take as long as it takes, as long as you win the war,'' Arroyo, who is visiting Zamboanga City and Basilan Province in the southern Philippines, she told reporters in remarks directed at troops pursuing the rebels. 

She reiterated her orders to ''pulverize'' the Muslim rebels who have been involved in kidnapping-for-ransom. 

''We will crush the Abu Sayyaf. Terrorism is an international threat,'' she told reporters. 

At least three more battalions of Philippine troops were deployed Tuesday in the southern Philippines to track down the al Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels, defense spokesman Melchor Rosales said. 

Pursuit operations are being implemented more easily now that the rebels are devoid of any hostages to be used as human shields, he said. 

Rosales said troops with K-9 dogs have been deployed in the vast jungle of Sirawai and nearby towns in Zamboanga del Norte Province on Mindanao Island, about 700 kilometers south of Manila. 

''The police and the local government officials have likewise taken steps to secure the areas of communities vulnerable to rebel attacks,'' he said. 

Military and police in the central provinces, including beach resorts, have also been put on alert to deprive the Abu Sayyaf of sanctuary in case the rebels manage to sneak out of the military cordon in the southern Philippines. 

''Our move is only to prevent them from entering our areas of responsibility,'' said Chief Superintendent Avelino Razon, who is directing police efforts in the central region of Visayas, which includes the resort island of Cebu, adding the security measures are also to foil any rebel attempts to snatch new hostages. 

Rosales said there are now about 600 soldiers in Zamboanga del Norte alone. Defense officials declined to reveal the exact number of troops deployed on the Zamboanga peninsula, in Basilan Province and in Sulu Province -- all known lairs of Abu Sayyaf rebels. 

At least 1,000 U.S. troops are also in the southern Philippines to help Philippine troops in the fight against terrorism. Joint counterterrorism training exercises that started in January are due to end next month. 

Meanwhile, Philippine soldiers in pursuit of fleeing Abu Sayyaf rebels captured Tuesday a wounded suspected rebel in Sirawai town in the Zamboanga del Norte, the site of last Friday's rescue operations, a police spokesman said. 

Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina of the Philippine National Police said the captured rebel, Basir Ordonez, was not armed when arrested by the Scout Rangers. The wounded Basir was apparently left behind by fleeing rebels after the encounter Friday. 

He said Ordonez was nursing a wound in the leg at the time of his capture from about 6 km away from where two captives, including American missionary Martin Burnham, were killed in last week's rescue operations. 

The rescue operations claimed the lives of Burnham and Philippine nurse Ediborah Yap. Government soldiers, however, recovered Burnham's wife, Gracia, who is now reunited with their three children and family in Kansas after more than a year in captivity.

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