US soldiers arrive in Zambo to train government troops vs Abus

ZAMBOANGA CITY — A team of US "military coordinators" arrived here yesterday to train Filipino troops battling the Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremist rebels on nearby Basilan island.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Darwin Guerra said a five-member "advance party" flew into the Edwin Andrews Air Force base here and headed straight for a meeting with intelligence officials of the military’s Southern Command (Southcom) also in this city.

The advisers, "experts in different fields ranging from civil-military and psychological operations," are in the country "to study our planning, operations and equipment in our counter-terrorism campaign," said AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan.

Their visit would allow them "to determine what form of assistance can be given to the Philippine government in terms of training, advice on doctrines and equipment," Adan said in radio interview.

About 25 US soldiers arrived last week to meet with local counterparts to discuss US training of local troops in fighting Abu Sayyaf bandits who are still holding two American and nine Filipino hostages.

The bandits are still holding missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham of Wichita, Kansas who were kidnapped by the bandits from the upscale Dos Palmas island resort off Palawan on May 27 and taken to Basilan island.

The bandits also beheaded another American hostage, Guillermo Sobero, whose remains were found by government troops earlier this month.

US Embassy spokeswoman Karen Kelley confirmed that the US soldiers met some Filipino authorities in Manila over the weekend but would not give details.

The presence has sparked complaints from groups sympathetic to the communist movement and to groups identified with the series of coup attempts in the early 1990s.

But AFP Southcom chief Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu said the five arrivals are only "US military coordinators."

AFP chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva said the delegation is headed by a colonel and will be briefed on guerrilla movements throughout the country.

"They’re here in the headquarters for a series of briefings on the terrorist situation," Villanueva said.

"These are not combatants," Adan stressed. "We have already told them that the only thing we lack are equipment, particularly helicopters."