Full U.S. ally status timely for RP
Full U.S. ally status timely for RP
Agencies, Manila
President George W. Bush's decision giving full U.S. military
ally status to the Philippines will boost the country's defense
capabilities as it deals with increasing threats from terror and
insurgent groups, analysts say.
Bush promised after talks with President Gloria Arroyo at the
White House on Monday to make the Philippines a non-NATO ally of
the United States, clearing the way for increased U.S. military
loans, cut-price U.S. military equipment and other military
benefits.
"That will prop up the war against terror in the Philippines
if we get those (military aid) packages on time," said
Congressman Prospero Pichay, head of the House defense committee.
"We need it very badly. If they can deliver to us as soon as
possible then that will really help deliver a big blow to the
enemy," he said.
The Philippines only has 18 helicopters and two OV-10 attack
planes as well as six helicopter gunships and two C-130 transport
planes.
"We don't have much equipment," said Pichay.
Arroyo also obtained from Bush a pledge of a new joint
military effort to finally crush the Abu Sayyaf, a small group of
Moro guerrillas linked to the al-Qaeda terror network.
He also offered her US$30 million in new aid for training and
equipping the Philippine military.
As a special non-NATO ally, the Philippines would be given
priority in receiving excess U.S. military surplus, allow it to
stockpile equipment and make it eligible to participate in
research and development programs, the U.S. embassy said.
Other countries that enjoy similar status are Australia,
Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Argentina, South Korea and
New Zealand. The Philippines is the first Southeast Asian country
to get this status.
"This is a most welcome development for us, particularly the
armed forces," military vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Rodolfo
Garcia said. "This would translate into added assistance in the
economic and military levels."
Hours before embarking on the U.S. trip on Saturday, Arroyo
ordered a military offensive against the 12,500-strong Muslim
separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the southern
Philippines.
Apart from the Abu Sayyaf, the military is also struggling
with the communist New People's Army (NPA), the 9,000-strong
guerrilla arm of the underground Communist Party of the
Philippines waging a decades long insurgency.
Washington has labeled the Abu Sayyaf and the NPA as
terrorists while the MILF has been accused of having ties with
the Jamaah Islamiyah, which in turn is allegedly linked to al-
Qaeda.
Although the two countries have long been military allies,
many Filipinos feel the country was not getting enough U.S.
attention as a frontline state in the war against terror.
"People have been complaining here about the type of military
packages we were getting: night vision goggles and small arms,"
said Joey Silva, associate director of the Asian Institute of
Management policy forum, a local think-tank.
Separately, the MILF rebels on Tuesday welcomed Bush's offer
of financial and political assistance to end their decades-old
insurgency, but said they have no choice but to fight a
continuing Philippine military offensive.
Presidential Chief of Staff Rigoberto Tiglao said the
four-day-old offensive has been largely successful with 70 rebels
killed and no civilian casualties and could end within days.
About 17,000 people have been displaced, but officials said they
were arranging for their return.
Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu denied any rebels were killed, and
said the MILF welcomes U.S. offers of assistance.