EDITORIAL - So crush them already

The good news for the adminis-tration is that Washington approved a $100-million military aid package for the Philippines during President Arroyo’s visit to the United States. The special assistance, announced during the President’s meeting with US President George W. Bush, blunted grumblings from certain sectors about the cost of Mrs. Arroyo’s foreign travels, especially "working visits" where expenses are shouldered by Philippine taxpayers. In recent months President Arroyo, like some of her predecessors, seems to have been bitten by a travel bug.

Washington approved the allo-cation mainly to help the pitifully equipped Armed Forces of the Philip-pines fight Abu Sayyaf extremists, who have been linked to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorist network. The money from Washington, which was the Philippines’ reward for its swift, full expression of support for the US-led fight against international terrorism, is expected to buy equipment that the AFP needs to hunt down the Abu Sayyaf in the hinterlands of Basilan and Sulu. The terrorists still have several hostages, including two Americans, in Basilan.

The US assistance, however, has also raised public expectations about the fight against the Abu Sayyaf. For nearly a decade the AFP has been battling what started out as a ragtag band of extremists led by a handful of men who trained with the mujaheddin in Afghanistan. And for nearly a decade the group has eluded the military. Scores of lives have been lost, soldiers and civilians alike, in the campaign to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf threat. Will $100 million – plus American advisers – make a difference?

Last year the AFP launched a "full-scale offensive" to crush the Abu Sayyaf after the group raided a Malaysian island resort and held mostly foreign guests and resort workers as hostages. The captives were freed, but mainly after paying ransom. No Abu Sayyaf commander was caught and none of the loot was recovered. Last May the group raided another island resort in Palawan and took more hostages, including three Americans. Another "full-scale military offensive" was launched.

With the year nearly over, however, the Abu Sayyaf is far from neutralized. And the AFP is now grappling with yet another security threat, this time posed by Nur Misuari and the Moro National Liberation Front. When the President herself goes to Washington with a begging bowl for help in fighting local terrorists, the AFP better make sure her trip was worth it. It’s time to crush the Abu Sayyaf, as the President has repeatedly promised.