"Such negative hyperbole to describe the Mindanao situation is out of tune with what is happening on the ground," said Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye.
"With the United States as an ally, we are elevating hopes for a region that is being transformed from an area of conflict into an area of peace, development and harmony for Christians, Muslims and Lumads," Bunye said.
He was responding to a statement of US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Joseph Mussomeli that certain portions of Mindanao were "so lawless, so porous the borders that you run the risk of it becoming like an Afghanistan situation."
Representatives Mujiv Hataman of the party-list Anak Mindanao and Robert Jaworski Jr. of Pasig urged the government to declare Mussomeli persona non grata and expel him.
They also called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to summon US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone and protest the statement of Mussomeli.
Philippine Tourism Authority general manager Robert Deam Barbers, who hails from Surigao, said that Mussomeli’s statement could do more harm than good in the government’s effort in searching for lasting peace with Muslim insurgents in Mindanao.
"With all due respects to Mr. Mussomeli, the situation in Mindanao is not as chaotic as reported in the papers. Mindanao’s problem is not unmanageable and it is clearly proven with the recent arrests of the Abu Sayyaf by our authorities," Barbers said in a statement.
For her part, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said: "Mr. Mussomeli has no business making private statements about our domestic affairs."
The US Embassy refused to comment on the call for Mussomeli to be declared persona non grata.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., who is from Mindanao, said Mussomeli’s statements were "exaggerated and too alarmist" about the real situation in Mindanao.
"My view is that Mussomeli’s prediction is like a death wish for Mindanao," he said.
The statement could "escalate the war in Mindanao" and negate the progress already made by the government to attain peace in the region, he added.
Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said Mussomeli’s statement could be part of the US government’s plan to deploy more troops in Mindanao.
Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said the only way Mindanao could become like Afghanistan is if the US forces decide to invade Mindanao.
"The conditions prevailing in Mindanao are much different from the conditions prevailing before the Americans decided to get into Afghanistan," he noted.
It was unfair for Mussomeli to say the government is not focused enough on Mindanao since there are similar threats and problems in Luzon and Visayas, Biazon said.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) also chided Mussomeli for saying that Mindanao could become the next Afghanistan because of extreme poverty and government negligence.
"That statement is too exaggerated and it has no basis at all. Mindanao will never become the next Afghanistan," MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said.
"In fairness to the government, the government is doing everything to alleviate poverty in Mindanao and address problems on lawlessness that the Americans are saying would lead to a situation like Afghanistan," he said.
Kabalu said there was nothing new in Mussomeli’s statement as he had been uttering the same thing over and over again.
"So what else is new?" he asked.
Kabalu said the MILF had not forged alliances with the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group nor with the Abu Sayyaf terrorists.
"How can we be with the Abu Sayyaf when the MILF fights for a legitimate cause, while the Abu Sayyaf does not have any legitimate cause?" he asked.
Mussomeli said the Philippine and US governments are aware that certain individuals or factions within the MILF, which is set to begin peace talks with the government on Saturday, have links with both local and foreign terrorist groups.
The US government was concerned because "it seems that the links are stronger, that Mindanao is almost — forgive the poor religious pun — the new ‘Mecca’ for terrorism," Mussomeli added.
He said Washington has "firm" information that these terrorists were still up and running in Mindanao, but he refused to elaborate.
"We certainly do not believe, or at least we don’t have clear evidence yet, that the MILF as an institution, as an organization, have links with the JI or ASG," he said.
Mussomeli said the military "needs a lot of rework, rebuilding from the roots up" after the country suffered a long economic crisis over the past decade.
"There can’t be real peace unless the links with JI and ASG are severed," he said.
The government is not "devoting enough time to the fight on terrorism," Mussomeli added.
Meanwhile, the return of the US Special Forces has brought renewed confidence to residents of Lamitan, Basilan who were mostly victims of Abu Sayyaf terror.
The RP-US Balance Piston joint counter-terror training exercise formally opened in Basilan on Monday.
Local leaders believe that US troops helped Filipino soldiers dismantle and drive away the terrorists and helped boost the local economy.
"Aside from drawing in the business climate, residents confidence to the security is rising continuously," Councilor Clarito San Juan told
reporters yesterday.
On the other hand, Maj. Robert Ball, Alpha Company commander of the 1st US Special Forces Battalion, said security in Basilan had improved a lot since US troops were last deployed in the province.
"I think we all know they (Abu Sayyaf) are not completely eradicated and they are still active," he said. "Before it was more hostile and a lot more terrorist groups around here."
Ball said he was in Basilan three years ago to train Filipino soldiers under the Balikatan 02-1 training exercise, which was successful as far as security and development is concerned.
"It’s a success story," he said. "It is my hope we can replicate this to another place where everybody enjoys this type of atmosphere."
Balance Piston will refresh Filipino troops in small unit tactic training, marksmanship and medcap (medical capability).
Col. Reymundo Ferrer, Basilan military commander, said Filipino soldiers have to sustain their capability to counter terrorism.
"Although we know there is no active Abu Sayyaf now in Basilan, we just have to be combat-ready to confront terrorism once they decide to come back," he said.
However, Ferrer said as long as Abu Sayyaf leaders Khaddafi Janjalani, Abu Solaiman and Isnilon Hapilon are still active, they would always be a threat to peace and order in the province.
"That is why we have to be ready," he said. — With reports from Roel Pareño, Jess Diaz, Edith Regalado, Jaime Laude, Marvin Sy, Mayen Jaymalin, Cecille Suerte Felipe, AFP