45 more US troops arriving in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY — At least 45 troopers of the United States Special Forces are expected to arrive here next week to train more Filipino soldiers against Abu Sayyaf terrorists.

Army Capt. Noel Detoyato, spokesman for the Armed Forces’ Southern Command (Southcom) based here, said the training will start next week.

Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan said eight officers of the US Pacific Area Command have also arrived here as advance party in preparation for the training.

Adan said the Americans have started to put up training facilities at Camp Gen. Arturo Enrile in Barangay Malagutay three kilometers from the Southcom headquarters.

The training camp will include a communications system linked to the CINCPAC headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii.

According to reports, the US Special Forces contingent will also set up a training center at an Army Ranger camp in Barangay Kabunbata in Isabela City in Basilan province where Abu Sayyaf bandits have been holding hostage American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipino nurse Deborah Yap since May.

The US military advisers have so far trained troopers of the Army’s Light Reaction Company (LRC), who were subsequently mobilized to assist the elite Marines Recon Force in undertaking search and rescue operations for the Abu Sayyaf hostages.

Philippine officials have clarified that the American soldiers will not have direct participation in the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf, but merely help train Filipino troops involved in the search and rescue operations.

They said the US military assistance, which includes grant of war materiel, is part of the US global war against terrorism.

"Regardless of what happens to the Burnhams, the training support to the Philippines will be carried out," Adan stressed.

Military intelligence agents confirmed that the Burnhams were still being held by the Abu Sayyaf in the densely forested Sampinit complex in central Basilan contrary to earlier reports.

"Our troops are not crazy searching in the Sampinit Complex if they (hostages) are not there," Adan said.