Amid travel warnings, US marines commandant visits troops in Zambo

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Despite warnings to American citizens not to travel to the country, especially the South, as they would be the most likely targets of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, the highest official of the US marines arrived here yesterday.

United States marine commandant Gen. Michael Hagee arrived at the Edwin Andrews Air Force Base in Zamboanga City aboard a US Lear jet under tight security.

The Armed Forces Southern Command and the Philippine National Police have deployed security personnel along the routes Hagee will use.

The purpose of the visit was not immediately known but Hagee reportedly also checked the situation of his marine troopers deployed here to secure the US Special Forces training Filipino soldiers in counter-terrorism.

Hagee later met with Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko in a closed-door meeting but what was discussed between the two top military officials was not revealed.

Hagee is so far the highest US military official to have visited the southern Philippines since the US Department of State issued a travel warning urging its citizens to avoid the South due to the terrorist threat from the Abu Sayyaf kidnap group.

A standing US travel advisory in the Philippines would expire on Jan. 17.

The US Department of State in its earlier statement said that although the capacity of some elements of the Abu Sayyaf has been diminished by the recent military action in the Philippines, "the ASG remains a security threat to areas in Sabah, which is close to the southern Philippines."

The Department of State also warned its citizens on Thursday that the Philippine-based Abu Sayyaf terrorist would target its citizens in Indonesia

The same warning was issued in Malaysia last as the Abu Sayyaf’s lair in the South was near the Malaysian state of Sabah.

Although Malaysian authorities has placed small detachments in various location, the region is remote and large and assistance in security matters may not be readily available, according to the Department of State.

"US citizens traveling to the islands and in the coastal areas of eastern Sabah should be aware of the persistence of threats from the Abu Sayyaf Group based in the southern Philippines, and should exercise extreme caution. Americans planning to travel to that region are encouraged to call the American Embassy in Kuala Lumpur before departure," the US travel advisory in Malaysia that would expire on Nov. 14, 2003 stated.