COTABATO CITY, 26 July 2004 — Activists burned an American flag yesterday on the eve of the start of a military training exercise between US and Philippine troops in the southern province of North Cotabato.
Codenamed “Balance Piston,” the training program involves 20 US Special Forces officers who will train 150 Filipino soldiers for three weeks starting today in Carmen town, scene of previous fighting between government forces and members of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The training program is meant to train local troops in modern counterterrorism maneuvers to fight extremist groups and “foreign terrorists” in the southern Philippines.
American officials have expressed concern about the reported presence in the south of foreign militants, including those from the Al-Qaeda-linked group Jemaah Islamiyah.
Jemaah Islamiyah has been blamed for terror plots and bombings in Southeast Asia, including blasts that killed 202 people in Bali, Indonesia, in 2002.
Local activists, however, said it was the US government that is the “No. 1 Terrorist.”
About a dozen protesters, including several Muslim students, staged a demonstration in Cotabato City near Carmen, displaying anti-US placards and burning an American flag.
They said the training would encourage conflicts that victimize innocent Filipinos, and could make the Philippines a target of US enemies.
Manila’s decision to withdraw Filipino peacekeepers from Iraq last week to gain the freedom of a Filipino hostage has strained ties with Washington — but it remained unclear if it would affect US assistance to the Philippines to battle guerrillas.
The protesters dispersed peacefully after two hours, officials said.
Despite some opposition, many local officials back the US training because it could strengthen peace and stability in the south, military officials said. Small units of Filipino soldiers will be taught unconventional warfare tactics, night combat, sniping and surveillance techniques, said military spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero.
Philippine military chief Gen. Narciso Abaya said the training will not affect the government ‘s peace talks with the MILF. “This is purely tactical training, part of the US Security Assistance to the Philippines. It will not even disturb the MILF or the peace process,” Abaya said.
He said aside from the training, Filipino and US soldiers would also conduct medical missions in two villages Ranzo and Marapatan. “There would be humanitarin mission in the town and we hope this would help our poor brothers in the area.
Last week, government troops had pulled out from the Buliok mountain complex in Maguindanao province after the MILF insisted Manila to abide by a previous agreement.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said about a hundred soldiers had left the Buliok complex ahead of a scheduled peace talks next month in Kuala Lumpur.
Col. Isagani Cachuela, a brigade commander in charge of the exercise, said the training would be confined to a camp in Carmen for security reasons, and that Filipino soldiers would accompany Americans venturing out for food and to conduct medical missions.
The Americans would be briefed on the local culture, Cachuela said.
Carmen lies near a major camp of the MILF, which has been fighting for Muslim self-rule in the southern region of Mindanao, but has signed a cease-fire accord with the government.
Communist rebels are also active near Carmen, about 900 kilometers (558 miles) south of Manila.
The MILF has said it didn’t consider the US training a problem unless troops conduct military operations in their strongholds. Philippine officials said they’d inform the guerrillas of the training activities to avoid conflicts.
The training demonstrates the continuation of the strong RP-US military alliance, he added.
“We need to learn new techniques from the Americans in fighting terrorism,” Cachuela said.
US troops were first allowed to train Filipino soldiers near extremist enclaves on the southern island of Basilan two years ago. Troops involved in the training later managed to drive out Abu Sayyaf guerrillas out of the Island. They also rescued Gracia Burnham, an American missionary held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf for over a year. During the rescue operation, however, two of the hostages — Gracia’s husband, Martin, and Filipino nurse Ediborah Yap — were killed in the crossfire. (Additional input from The Associated Press)
