RP agrees to U.S. request on airports

RP agrees to U.S. request on airports

MANILA (AFP): The Philippines on Wednesday agreed to let the U.S. government use its international airports if they were needed in the transport of "non-combat" goods and personnel following a massive terrorist attack in New York and Washington.

President Gloria Arroyo's spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said the U.S. embassy asked its Southeast Asian military ally on Tuesday night for "access" to its airports in case it was needed, and that the president readily approved the request.

"They just sent word that they might have to transfer or move or (use) an airport as transit for either evacuees or civilians or goods," Tiglao told reporters.

"The customs or airport authorities will just have to facilitate movements of goods," he said without elaborating.

"The U.S. government has sent word that they would want not access to our airports, but facilitation of evacuees or the movement of non-combat materials," he added.

"We're very willing and as the president said, she fully supports U.S. President Bush's resolve to combat terrorism and to track down the perpetrators," of Tuesday's attacks, Tiglao said.