GMA hits US solon: RP not next Afghanistan

President Arroyo scored yesterday American Sen. Sam Brownback for saying that after Afghanistan, the Philippines would be the next target of the US go- vernment’s global war on terrorism.

"What does he (Brownback) mean by that? Actually, we’re not the next because we’ve been fighting terrorists even before," the President said.

This developed as the President’s spokesman, Rigoberto Tiglao, belied her previous statement that the rescue of the Abu Sayyaf hostages was one of the principal objectives of the ongoing military exercises between the Philippines and the United States.

A visibly irked Mrs. Arroyo also ruled out an increase in the presence of US forces here. "The 600 (American soldiers) is the maximum conceivable (number), but it depends upon further discussions as to the exact number," she said.

"But surely, it would not be more than that. In fact, 200 of them will not do the training for our combat troops," she added.

In a bid to dispel criticisms, Mrs. Arroyo gave assurances that the Americans will merely train their local counterparts through the joint exercises.

"People might think the (American) soldiers are there for combat. But they are not there to do combat. They are there to do training. The joint military exercises are intended to be mutual training," she said in a television interview.

"The overwhelming majority of the people support it, because they want to see an end to the Abu Sayyaf problem," she added.

During Thursday’s National Security Council meeting, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said the actual number of Americans participating in the operations against the Abu Sayyaf would not be more than 160. He clarified that the visitors would act only as advisers and trainers.

Mrs. Arroyo also reacted to a statement by US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who said the prolonged Abu Sayyaf hostage crisis had a bearing on the scaling up of the US involvement in Basilan.

"Certainly, when there’s a situation where American hostages are held, that adds a dimension to our interest," Rumsfeld told reporters at the Pentagon.

Tiglao said the rescue of the Abu Sayyaf hostages – American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipino nurse Deborah Yap – "is not the point of the Balikatan Mindanao exercise."

"But if we achieve that, then it’s better for us," Tiglao stressed.

He also said National Security Adviser Roilo Golez charged that Brownback was speaking as a politician and was "ignorant of the Philippine situation."

For his part, Armed Forces chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva stressed that the Americans will just train Filipino soldiers in actual combat.

"We rather look at this exercise as a means of enhancing our capability, and we welcome this opportunity, but we can assure our public, our people that it will be the Filipino soldier who will fight our own war within our territory. Nothing more than that will happen," Villanueva said.

Meanwhile, opposition Sen. Gregorio Honasan asked the Senate leadership to request the President to give a security briefing to the senators to determine the constitutional and legal framework by which the joint exercise would have been approved.

Honasan made the request in the light of reports that Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. was excluded from the planning and drafting of the controversial "Balikatan Mindanao."

"I fully support President Arroyo in the objective of rescuing the remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf. But I also expressed some of my concerns," Guingona said without elaborating.

At the House, opposition Rep. Abraham Mitra (LDP, Palawan) said the Senate "knew in advance that American troops were coming."

Mitra revealed that late last month, when the proposed P781-billion 2002 budget was pending in Congress, the Senate inserted a P96-million appropriation for this year’s joint RP-US military exercises.

He said senators were "adamant" in including the fund in this year’s appropriation.

"Their (senators’) insistence is proof that they knew the American soldiers were coming that that they were aware of the US intentions in Mindanao," he said.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Eduardo Ermita told reporters that the two governments were reviewing the parameters of the exercise and could decide against allowing joint patrols, although such patrols are currently planned. — With reports from Aurea Calica, Sandy Araneta, Jess Diaz