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Saturday, February 17, 2007
Army battalion secures American servicemen
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) has designated a battalion of Filipino troopers to secure US forces for the duration of joint military exercises in the island province of Sulu, where an offensive continues against foreign and local terrorists.
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Army 104th Infantry Brigade Chief Mark Supnet said a battalion from his command was designated as security force in all the sites of the Balikatan 2007 activities in Sulu.
He said the Filipino troops would augment US protection personnel tasked to secure American servicemen doing humanitarian works.
More than 100 US servicemen, mostly from the Marine engineering command based in Okinawah, Japan, are in Sulu. They are set to conduct humanitarian works like repairs and construction of infrastructure projects and medical outreach missions.
Among the infrastructure projects they will undertake during the three-week Balikatan 2007 are the construction of a road linking the barangays of Buansa and Bato-Bato in Indanan town.
They are also set to repair some schools and hospitals in the island province of Sulu. The Balikatan 2007 started on Wednesday.
Supnet said the deployment of his battalion would not affect the ongoing offensive against the remnants of the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists in Sulu.
Among the remaining top Abu Sayyaf leaders in Sulu are Isnilon Hapilon, Radulan Sahiron, Al-Bader Parad and Dr. Abu Pula.
They are reportedly sheltering two JI terrorists, namely Umar Patek and Dulmatin, who were tagged as the masterminds in the 2002 bombing in Bali, Indonesia that killed 202 people, mostly European tourists. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (February 17, 2007 issue)
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