August 23, 2009, GMA News, 11:42 PM, Palace defends stay of US troops in Mindanao

August 23, 2009, GMA News, 11:42 PM, Palace defends stay of US troops in Mindanao

A Malacañang official on Sunday defended the continued stay of American soldiers in southern Philippines, saying their modern technology is needed in security operations in the troubled region.

Presidential deputy spokesman Gary Olivar said those who do not acknowledge the US' benefits in Mindanao are simply anti-US.

"Mahirap paniwalaan na walang binibigay na tulong ang Amerika, given the fact na napakalaki ng kanilang kaalaman sa technology(It’s hard to believe that we’re not getting anything from the US considering their technology)," he said.

Olivar was reacting to Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago’s statement regarding the continuous existence of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in Mindanao despite the presence of US troops there.

Santiago said despite the trainings provided by the US, government troops continue to fail to stop the Abu Sayyaf. She called for a review of the benefits of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which is the legal basis for the annual RP-US military training exercises.

Olivar said they respect Santiago’s views although they do not agree with her assessment. - GMANews.TV