New CINCPAC cites progress of ‘Balikatan’

ISABELA City (AFP) — The commander-in-chief of the US forces in the Pacific (CINCPAC) Adm. Thomas Fargo said yesterday he was pleased at the work of US troops training Philippine troops to fight local allies of the al-Qaeda terror network.

"I’m very satisfied with the work. I’m happy with what the US forces have been doing down here. We are here to support the Philippine government," Fargo said after a visit to American soldiers deployed in the strife-torn southern island of Basilan.

Fargo flew to Basilan aboard a US military helicopter and met with local military officials and American troops deployed around the island in support of the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim guerrilla group holding hostage a US Christian missionary couple.

He met with US Special Forces training local soldiers to hunt the Abu Sayyaf and US military engineers who are rushing to complete crucial infrastructure projects to help bolster the campaign against the kidnapping group.

Fargo refused to comment on the efforts to recover missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipina nurse Deborah Yap, who have been held for almost a year.

Security was tight during his visit with rifle-wielding bodyguards shadowing the admiral constantly.

More than 1,000 US troops have been deployed in the South for joint operations to help local forces fight the Abu Sayyaf which has links to the al-Qaeda network of suspected terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.

The Americans are training and advising the local soldiers but are not allowed to engage in combat except in self-defense.

"Admiral Fargo is here to find out what we are doing and making sure that we are doing (things) the way that the national leadership wants," said Brig. Gen. Donald Wurster, the head of US forces deployed in this country.

He and other US officers expressed optimism the US forces would complete their job here before the joint operations end in mid-July.

"We are working hard on that and I think we will be finished on time," Wurster said.

Earlier, officials had said the deployment of 340 US military engineers in Basilan might have to be extended beyond July because it would take longer to complete the infrastructure projects.

Lt. Col. Brian Hearnsberger, head of the US engineering team, said: "We will finish on time as scheduled. And even if we don’t, I’m sure the people will be very happy with what we have done here."

He said the only problem they were encountering was getting the raw materials of sand and gravel transported to the island.