JOLO, 26 September 2006 — US Ambassador to Manila Kristie Kenney yesterday braved the island of Jolo in the restive southern region, where Filipino troops, assisted by American intelligence, are hunting down leaders of the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group and two Jemaah Islamiya bombers.
Kenney inspected US-funded infrastructure projects in Indanan and Panamao, two towns previously torn by war between security and Abu Sayyaf forces. “I am so happy to be here and talk to a lot of people and assured them of the US’ support in developing this beautiful place,” she said.
The Philippine military said troops were pursuing two Jemaah Islamiya militants Dulmatin and Umar Patek. The Abu Sayyaf, it said, is coddling both Dulmatin and Patek, blamed by Jakarta as behind the 2002 Bali bombings that killed more than 200 mostly Australian holidaymakers.
The United States offered as much as $10 million reward for the capture of Dulmatin and another $1 million bounty for Patek. The US also put up another $5 million for known Abu Sayyaf leaders, including Khadaffy Janjalani, its chieftain. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also offered up to P100 million in bounties for the capture of senior Abu Sayyaf leaders — dead or alive.
Kenney was met at the Jolo airport by Philippine Army Maj. Gen. Eugenio Cedo and US Army Col. James Linder and other local government officials. Security was tight during her visit and Filipino and American soldiers were protecting the ambassador.
She also visited mostly poor Muslim villagers in Bwansa, a hamlet in Indanan town, where soldiers from both countries and local health authorities were conducting a joint medical mission. She spoke before a huge crowd of Muslim villagers and told them that more humanitarian aid was on its way and that Washington is supporting the government’s efforts to defeat terrorism in Jolo island.
Kenney also met with US troops on Jolo and had a lunch with them.
US soldiers are currently in Jolo island and assisting and advising the local military in fighting homegrown terrorism. No US or Filipino officials would like to say how many American soldiers are on the island, but local villagers estimate that more than a hundred troops are currently deployed in Jolo, many inside the Philippine Army and Marine bases on the island.
Many of the US troops are also involved in medical and civic missions in an effort to win the hearts and minds of the locals. From February to March this year, over 150 Filipino soldiers and 250 American troops held humanitarian projects here and provided free medical assistance to some 11,000 people.
Since 2004, more than 37,000 people on Jolo island also benefited from joint US and Philippine medical missions in partnership with local governments and international organizations. The US Navy ship, Mercy, also arrived here in June for a series of medical mission to thousands of villagers.
The US military, working with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, has so far completed more than 50 individual development projects on the island worth some $4.5 million since 2003 — from road construction to new school buildings.
