U.S. assistance for RP

U.S. assistance for RP

ISABELA, Philippines (AFP): High-tech surveillance equipment provided by the United States is being used to track down Muslim guerrillas holding 23 American and Filipino hostages, a presidential spokesman said on Saturday.

President Gloria Arroyo's spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said in a radio interview that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) considered the kidnapping to be an international crime "so they offered help and we accepted it."

"This is in the form of technical help. They loaned us some surveillance equipment," Tiglao said without specifying the type of equipment.

"It looks like the help is having some effect now," Tiglao said.

"This high-tech equipment seems to be helping."

Arroyo on Friday said she asked the United States "to help with their surveillance expertise and in supplying us with some modern equipment and their response has been positive."

A U.S. embassy spokesman refused to elaborate on Arroyo's statement.