Eight more American lawmakers arriving in RP

At least eight more US lawmakers are set to arrive to assess the kind of assistance the country needs to combat homegrown terrorist groups like the Abu Sayyaf.

Meanwhile, Vice President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona has told visiting US Senators Daniel Inouye (Democrat, Hawaii) and Ted Stevens (Republican, Alaska) that Filipino troopers need more access to American military technology to make the ongoing joint RP-US military "Balikatan" military exercises in Basilan more meaningful.

Armed Forces Southern Command (Southcom) chief Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu said the increasing arrival of US lawmakers is precisely to assess additional military assistance needed by the country.

The President herself hinted that the visit of Inouye and Stevens is connected with the "budget that they are providing the Philippines."

"They’re here just to observe, to look at how they can better defend the budget that they are providing because these senators are very, very supportive of the Philippines," the President said before hosting a private dinner reception for Inouye and Stevens.

Also present at the dinner were Guingona, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, National Security Adviser Roilo Golez, Ambassador to Washington Alberto del Rosario and US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone.

Cimatu said at least eight more congressmen are set to arrive in batches over the coming weeks to assess the ongoing war games and determine the additional military aid that would likely be extended to the Philippines.

He said the commander-in-chief of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Dennis Blair, is also expected to arrive before month’s end.

"These are the plans at the higher levels and this is one of the reasons why (Inouye and Stevens) came," Cimatu said.

Golez confirmed that the two senators’ visit was to determine the military aid the country needs on the back of the $100 million US President George Bush pledged to President Arroyo last November.

The additional US military aid was first announced last month by Ricciardone.

"Definitely we expect more (aid) because of the resurgence in the Philippine-US relations in many aspects, particularly the military," Golez said.

"We can expect more aircraft, training, choppers... and I think that’s very vital for the upgrade of our military capability," Golez said.

He said the two US senators’ visit was only the first step in a US assistance program that would likely extend over the next few years.

"The succeeding programs will need the approval of the US Congress and they (US senators) will be playing a key role in the evaluation and approval of all the projects and programs of military assistance to the Philippines. And we’re not talking only of this year but in the years to come," Golez said.

Reyes, for his part, said the two senators’ visit would bolster the whole gamut of RP-US relations.

"Their objective is to examine and assess what can be done to enhance our strategic alliance. So we’re not looking at just the money aspect of it," Reyes said.

At the same time, Reyes dismissed the claim of leftist organizations that the senators’ visit was meant to hasten talks to re-establish US military bases in the country, particularly in General Santos City in South Cotabato.

"That’s out of the question. Our Constitution says there can be no foreign bases here. It simply cannot be. Those speculations are unfounded," Reyes said.

Reyes, however, did not mention if he discussed with the senators the proposed Mutual Logistics Support Agreement which is being studied by a three-man Cabinet committee which he heads.

The US has also already submitted a proposed draft of the agreement and the committee, according to an executive order, should already have submitted a counter-proposal.

Aside from Reyes, the committee includes Guingona and Justice Secretary Hernando Perez.

Guingona, who initially opposed the Balikatan war games, said he asked Inouye and Stevens to consider granting Filipino troops more access to US equipment.

"I made the observation that Filipino soldiers should have more high-tech armaments. That is why we need training," Guingona told reporters after the two senators called on him at the Foreign Office yesterday.

He suggested that Filipino troops should be allowed to board the P-3 Orion and MH-47E Chinook helicopters being used in the Balikatan war games and given access to other US military equipment.

The two senators assured the US government would fulfill US President George Bush’s pledge of substantial military assistance to President Arroyo during her visit to the US last November.

Inouye is chairman of the defense sub-committee of the US Senate committee on appropriations and Stevens is also an influential member of the committee. – With Pia Lee-Brago