Bush lauds RP gains in anti-terror campaign

US President George W. Bush praised the Philippines for its successes in the campaign against terrorism and said the Philippines had remained a reliable partner of Washington in its global war against terrorism, the Department of Foreign Affairs disclosed yesterday.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said Bush’s recognition is a firm indication that the Philippines is still considered a "reliable partner of the US in this collective drive."

In a major foreign policy speech he delivered early last month at the US National Defense University, Bush said terrorism requires a global response and the United States is more secure today because dozens of other countries have stepped up the fight.

"We’re more secure because the Philippines’ new anti-terrorism task force has helped capture more than a dozen terrorist suspects, including seven members of the al-Qaeda and affiliated networks," Bush said, referring to the members of Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiyah who had been captured in Mindanao.

Bush said the immediate US strategy is to eliminate terrorist threats abroad "so we do not have to face them here at home."

US allies have been making "tough decisions and are taking risks and they’re losing lives" in fighting terrorism. "These countries have proven themselves trusted friends and reliable allies," Bush said.

Recent successes of the Philippine government in its anti-terrorism campaign included the arrest of the main suspects in the Valentine’s Day bombings and the elimination of three top Abu Sayyaf leaders during the recent Camp Bagong Diwa prison standoff in Taguig.

Manila’s relations with Washington soured in July last year when President Arroyo caved in to threats from Iraq insurgents who were holding truck driver Angelo de la Cruz hostage.

The militants had threatened to execute De la Cruz unless Manila pulled out its small troop contingent in Iraq one month ahead of schedule.

Manila’s allies strongly protested the pullout, saying it would embolden Iraqi insurgents.