GMA calls for funding cut-off for terrorists

President Arroyo called yesterday for the stepping up of the campaign against international terrorists by cutting off the sources of their financing and destroying their training camps.

Speaking at a gathering of Christian Democratic leaders from 72 countries in Mexico City, the President noted that the Philippines has approved an anti-money laundering law designed to make it more difficult for terrorists to have access to money. Present during the gathering were Mexican President Vicente Fox and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.

Mrs. Arroyo proceeded to Mexico from the US, where she discussed the anti-terrorism campaign with US President George W. Bush as she tried to rally support for her fight against the Abu Sayyaf extremist group in Min-danao.

The President urged Christian Democrats to support restoration efforts in Afghanistan after the war is over, arguing that the current campaign was aimed against terrorists rather than Muslims.

She also spoke to Filipino-Americans in Los Angeles, California before taking a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila.

Meanwhile, Sen. Blas Ople congratulated President Arroyo for what he described was "a highly successful official visit to the US."

Ople, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations, said the visit was one where the President "fully delivered."

He cited the $4.6-billion concessions obtained by the Philippines from Bush and US congressional leaders. The generous military assistance is believed to be the reward for the Philippine support for the US-led campaign against terrorism.

Apart from the security and economic package, Bush pledged to work with the US Congress for at least a 10-fold increase in foreign military financing for fiscal year 2002 and to sustain heightened assistance levels the following year.

"While the monetary terms of the concession are significant, the intangible rewards are even greater," Ople said.

The senator explained the concessions have assured the Philippines that the US would stand by its obligation to help defend its ally against any external aggression in the future.

Militant groups, however, expressed fear yesterday that the President would be bringing home "a truckload of anti-people projects and a possible war."

"Her visit to the US did not do anything to help the common folk. It was only meant to please transnational groups, the armed forces and the national police," Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Corpuz said. – Efren Danao, Perseus Echeminada, Mayen Jaymalin, Matthew Estabillo