RP vows to bring the Abu Sayyaf to its knees

RP vows to bring the Abu Sayyaf to its knees

MANILA (Agencies): President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo vowed
Wednesday to defeat terrorism in the Philippines and pledged full
support for the U.S.-led international coalition against the
blight worldwide.

"The impact of our involvement in the war against terrorism
will not be measured by our contribution to the international
coalition alone," she said. "To a greater degree, it will be
measured by our own achievements in defeating terrorism within
our own territorial boundaries."

Arroyo has identified the Abu Sayyaf, notorious for
kidnappings for ransom and reportedly linked to Osama bin Laden,
as the only terrorist group in the Philippines. It currently is
holding about 18 people hostage, including an American couple.

Addressing the Philippine Constitutional Association, Arroyo
outlined a 14-point anti-terrorism program and renewed
commitments to the international coalition, including use of
Philippine airspace and ports as staging grounds or transit
points for coalition forces and close cooperation with U.S.
intelligence.

"In our own land, we shall defeat terrorism in our own terms
with our own hands and in line with our own national vision," she
said. "We shall win this war under the tenets of constitutional
democracy and the rule of law."

Arroyo said Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo will head a
Cabinet oversight committee to supervise all government agencies
involved in implementing responses to terrorism.

She directed National Security Adviser Roilo Golez to
consolidate domestic and international intelligence on terrorist
activities, ordered security forces to "go all out" against
terrorists and urged ordinary citizens to help wage "this
clandestine war."

An "immediate inventory" would be made of "dubious"
organizations that may be serving as fronts for terrorists.
Criminal groups would be held legally accountable for aiding and
abetting terrorism.

Golez said on Wednesday the Philippines may seek "greater
assistance" from the United States in efforts to crush the Abu
Sayyaf, admitting that the government was facing "some
constraints" in efforts to neutralize the rebel group.

"We realize that there are some constraints in our efforts
against the Abu Sayyaf," Golez said in a television interview.
"Since the U.S. is now battling a bigger network, perhaps we can
discuss greater assistance with the U.S. in going after the Abu
Sayyaf."

The U.S. government has listed the Abu Sayyaf as one of 27
individuals or organizations linked to bin Laden, the prime
suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington that
left more than 6,000 people dead.

Golez did not say what form of additional help could be sought
from the U.S., which was already extending technical assistance
to the Philippine military through training of personnel and
intelligence sharing.

Amid efforts by the U.S. to freeze the assets of terrorist
groups worldwide, especially those linked to bin Laden, the
Philippine government has also started to look into the money
trail of the Abu Sayyaf.

According to Philippine security officials, the Abu Sayyaf has
been receiving financial support from bin Laden. Many of the
group's members have also been sent to Afghanistan for training,
including its slain founder.

The military has also placed under surveillance some non-
government organizations set up by bin Laden's brother-in-law and
suspected to have channeled funds to the Abu Sayyaf and other
Moro rebel organizations.

More than 5,000 troops have been deployed to track down the
Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and rescue the hostages, who include
American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham.

The Department of Foreign Affairs was told to "fast-track a
regional consensus" against terrorism, referring to a proposal to
set up a sub-regional anti-terrorist coalition with Indonesia and
Malaysia. All three Southeast Asian neighbors face extremist
violence.