PHILIPPINES: PHILIPPINES /US AGREE TO MOVE U.S SPECIAL FORCES CLOSER TO SOUTHERN PHLLIPPINES IN SEARCH FOR MUSLIM GUERILLAS LINKED TO AL QUEDA

Record ID: 647513

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: PHILIPPINES /US AGREE TO MOVE U.S SPECIAL FORCES CLOSER TO SOUTHERN PHLLIPPINES IN SEARCH FOR MUSLIM GUERILLAS LINKED TO AL QUEDA
  • Date: 31st May 2002
  • Summary: (W5) BASILAN, PHILIPPINES (JUNE 3, 2002)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF US. AIR FORCE PLANE TAXXING ON RUNAWAY 0.06 2. VARIOUS OF U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENCE PAUL WOLFOWITZ WALKING FROM PLANE 0.14 3. SMV WOLFOWITZ SHAKING HANDS WITH WAHAB AKBAR, GOVERNOR OF BASILAN 0.21 4. SMV LOCAL WOMEN WATCHING 0.25 5. SLV WOLFOWITZ WALKING BESIDE AMERICAN SOLDIER, INSIDE CAMP JOHN BRADLEY 0.29 6. WIDE OF U.S CAMP JOHN BRADLEY 0.33 7. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) ANGELO REYES, PHILIPPINE DEFENCE SECRETARY, SAYING: "The Burnham operation continues and we are confident and hopeful that it will be concluded soon." 0.40 8. SLV SOLDIERS WATCHING 0.44 9. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) REYES, SAYING: "The terms prohibits that and presidential guidance prohibits that so it will not happen. The Americans might be willing to but that is not allowed and we will not allow it." 1.00 10. WIDE OF BUILDING WHERE FILIPINO AND AMERICAN SOLDIERS MET 1.05 (W3) MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JUNE 2, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. WIDE OF PLANE ON RUNAWAY 1.27 12. VARIOUS OF WOLFOWITZ DISEMBARKING PLANE AND SHAKING HANDS WITH U.S AMBASSADOR TO PHILIPPINES, FRANCIS RICCIARDONE AND PHILIPPINE OFFICIALS (2 SHOTS) 1.32 (W3) MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JUNE 2, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 13. VARIOUS OF WOLFOWITZ SHAKING HANDS WITH PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO AT MALACANANG PALACE (2 SHOTS) 1.55 (W3) MANILA, PHILIPPINES. (JUNE 3, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 14. SLV WOLFOWITZ ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE 2.05 15. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENCE PAUL WOLFOWITZ, SAYING: "The Burnhams are important... the peace and order situation, so that Philippines is important, the whole security and development of this country, they are all important. And it's a mistake I believe, as I've said over and over again, to focus too much on one island or just the Burnhams. We are very concerned about the Burnhams, we are doing whatever we can, and the Filipino armed forces are doing whatever they can, to find and rescue the Burnhams. " 2.36 16. WIDE OF WOLFOWITZ AT PRESS CONFERENCE 2.41 17. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) WOLFOWITZ, SAYING: "I think one of the things that enhances the chances of rescuing them is to say as little as possible and public about what we know. We do believe they are alive and I don't think I want to say much more than that. Obviously the people who are holding them have access to what we say in public as well. And this is one of the things we want to achieve, we very much want to rescue them." 3.07 18. WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE 3.12 (W3) ZAMBOANGA, PHILIPPINES. (MAY 31, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 19. VARIOUS OF U.S. TROOPS BOARDING C-130 MILITARY PLANE B (2 SHOTS) 3.23 20. VARIOUS OF PARACHUTES AS TROOPS JUMP FROM PLANE 3.47 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 15th June 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MANILA, BASILAN AND ZAMBOANGA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Reuters ID: LVA9OY30QHR62IB4VFJERLTAGBQ
  • Story Text: The Philippines and the United States have agreed to
    move U.S. special forces closer to combat areas in the
    country's south in a stepped-up manhunt for Muslim guerrillas
    linked to Osama bin Laden
    U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defence Paul Wolfowitz said his
    government would not abandon its co-operation with the
    Philippines armed forces, if the captured American couple
    Martin and Gracia Burnham were rescued.



    The presidential palace in Manila announced the
    decision on Monday (June 3) as U.S. deputy defence secretary
    Paul Wolfowitz flew to the southern island of Basilan,
    stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, and met U.S. troops
    training Filipino soldiers in counter-terrorism.

    Delayed military reports said six guerrillas and a soldier
    were killed in fighting on Sunday with another Abu Sayyaf
    group operating on Jolo island, near Basilan. The fighting
    broke out when troops raided a guerrilla lair in the Jolo
    hills.

    A Philippine presidential spokesman said there was
    consensus that training would be intensified but U.S. troops
    would not be allowed to engage the rebels in combat.

    "Presidential guidance prohibits that so it will not
    happen. The Americans might be willing to but that is not
    allowed and we will not allow it," Philippine defence
    secretary Angelo Reyes said.

    Both sides said the two governments were also
    considering extending the joint military exercises in the
    country's south aimed at wiping out the rebels but no decision
    had been taken.

    Wolfowitz arrived in the Philippines capital Manila on
    Sunday (June 2) and was greeted at the airport by the U.S.

    Ambassador to the Philippines, Richard Ricciardone and
    Philippines officials.

    Later, he held talks with Philippine President Gloria
    Macapagal Arroyo on further steps the United States would take
    to help defeat the Abu Sayyaf.

    At a news conference on Monday (June 4), Wolfowitz said
    his government would not abandon its co-operation with the
    Philippines armed forces, if the captured American couple
    Martin and Gracia Burnham were rescued.

    "The Burnhams are important... the peace and order
    situation, so that Philippines is important, the whole
    security and development of this country, they are all
    important. And it's a mistake I believe, as I've said over and
    over again, to focus too much on one island or just the
    Burnhams. We are very concerned about the Burnhams, we are
    doing whatever we can, and the Filipino armed forces are doing
    whatever they can, to find and rescue the Burnhams," he said.

    The Philippines Muslim guerrilla group Abu Sayyaf abducted
    the Burnhams on May 27 last year on the southern island of
    Basilan.

    The Abu Sayyaf, which claims to fight for a separate Muslim
    state but pursues kidnap for ransom as its main activity, has
    been holding the couple hostage for more than a year.

    Wolfowitz added he believed the couple was still alive,
    but resisted speaking about the intelligence they have on
    their situation.

    Around 1,000 U.S. troops are training Filipino soldiers
    fighting the Muslim Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, who have held the
    two Americans and a Filipina nurse hostage for more than a
    year.

    The southern Philippines exercises, which began in
    February and are due to end next month, represent Washington's
    biggest troop deployment in the war on terror after
    Afghanistan.



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