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Home/ stevenwarran's Library/ Notes/ January 4, 2002, The Philippine Star, GMA Vows 'Total Annihilation' of Abu Sayyaf Rebels, by Marichu Villanueva,

January 4, 2002, The Philippine Star, GMA Vows 'Total Annihilation' of Abu Sayyaf Rebels, by Marichu Villanueva,

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January 4, 2002, The Philippine Star, GMA Vows 'Total Annihilation' of Abu Sayyaf Rebels, by Marichu Villanueva, 

Manila, January 4, 2002 (STAR) -- President Arroyo vowed yesterday the "complete and total annihilation" of the Abu Sayyaf within three months.

Her fighting words came amid an announcement that more American military experts are arriving to train Filipino troops in counter-terrorism warfare.

A 25-member US contingent of military advisers is expected to arrive in Zamboanga City on Jan. 15 to train Filipino soldiers in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

"The President is determined to see this group of terrorists vanquished once and for all," Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said.

Military and defense officials have been working closely with the US Pacific Command and have presented a plan for greater cooperation in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf.

"The President will make a decision on the final plan for the joint proposal next week," Tiglao said.

Philippine officials said the main task of the American visitors is to instruct the Filipinos on intelligence gathering, psychological operations and counter-terrorism.

"The Americans will work and cooperate under a Filipino commander," said Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

"They will be helping us develop our fighting capabilities," Adan said. "They will not be here to fight. They will be here to train, advise and assist."

Adan pointed out that the US military assistance was made possible through the existing Mutual Defense Treaty between the two countries.

Several US Army communications experts arrived earlier in Mindanao to set up a communications center in the AFP’s Southern Command (Southcom) based in Zamboanga City.

US military experts trained last year the first batch of Filipino troops now involved in the ongoing campaign against the Abu Sayyaf terrorists holding hostage an American missionary couple and a Filipino nurse since last May.

Adan said at least eight UH-1H Huey helicopters with night-flying equipment are also expected to arrive from the US to give the AFP’s fighting capability a dramatic boost.

The AFP was also hoping to get 30,000 M-16 rifles and almost a hundred motor vehicles as part of the military assistance package from the US.

The American hostages — Martin Burnham and his wife Gracia who are both members of the New Tribes Mission from Wichita, Kansas — were seized last May from the upscale island resort of Dos Palmas off Palawan, along with another American and 17 Filipino guests and personnel of the facility.

The third American, Guillermo Sobero of Corona, California and at least four of the Filipino captives were beheaded in June in an apparent bid to intimidate the victims’ families into paying huge ransoms.

The nurse, Deborah Yap, was snatched during a raid by the Abu Sayyaf bandits on a hospital in Lamitan town as they fled pursuing soldiers.

Government forces have been waging for months all-out war against the Abu Sayyaf, narrowing the search to a small densely forested area in central Basilan.

A Marine battalion involved in the continuing campaign was pulled out and replaced with Army Rangers considered more effective in jungle warfare.

Southcom spokesman Army Capt. Noel Detoyato said the Marines would be placed on standby for possible attacks by armed followers of renegade Nur Misuari, former governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and chieftain of the Moro National Liberation Front.

"We have to meet some tactical needs because there are other places like Sulu which need a bigger forces," Detoyato said. –With reports from Roel Pareño

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