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CNN Live At Daybreak
U.S. Troops Train Filipino Troops; Government Takes Over Screeners
Aired February 18, 2002 - 06:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the Philippines, the second major front in the war against terrorism. The first of 160 U.S. Special Forces troops have landed in a combat area in the southern Philippines. They're training Filipino soldiers and taking part in war games, but these war games are deadly serious and quite controversial.
CNN's Maria Ressa has our story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Residents around this Philippine base say they've never seen helicopters this large used to take the first of 160 U.S. Special Forces to Basilan. There they will take part in war games using live bullets against the real enemy, the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf.
Six hundred sixty U.S. troops will take part in the six-month exercise, crack commando units unable to speak openly to their families and friends about exactly where they are or what they're doing. Major Larry Redman missed his first wedding anniversary and expects to miss the birth of his first son.
LARRY REDMAN, U.S. ARMY: This wouldn't be the first time that an American troops have been faced with dangerous situations. But we're going to be with our Philippine counterparts, and I'm confident they're going to take care of us.
RESSA: But that's not so easy on Basilan. This is the terrain, a guerrilla war in foliage so thick you can't see three feet in front of you. When soldiers here see men with guns, they fire. Otherwise, they say, they run the risk of being ambushed.
These Filipino Marines thought they attacked the Abu Sayyaf, the group turned out to be civilian volunteers armed by the military. Twenty-six year old Manchin Constancio (ph) was killed in friendly fire.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I can't accept what they've done. We're going to hunt them down, kill them all. All of them killed my son.
RESSA: That is the cycle of violence, which has spiraled out of control on Basilan. Most residents here say they hope the Americans can help.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Our Filipino soldiers lack equipment, and the Americans can teach them fighting tricks.
RESSA: But American troops may be stepping into more than they bargained for.
(on camera): According to the Philippine constitution, U.S. troops can only fire in self-defense. That may be necessary. Their very presence could shift the nature of conflict on the island, making them the targets of the many armed groups there.
Maria Ressa, CNN, Zamboanga City, the Philippines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And here in the United States there is a change in command in the security forces at the nation's airports. The federal government is now in charge, but our Kathleen Koch reports if you flew this weekend, you probably didn't notice any difference.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For most passengers it was business and security as usual.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)
KOCH: While the federal government takes over passenger bag screening and other security operations is temporarily keeping in place private screeners.
JOHN MAGAW, UNDER SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION SECURITY: This is nothing different than let's say a bank merger. The people stay for the most part. It's just the leadership that may adjust, and so we're going to be watching the operation. If we see things that need to be changed, we're going to change them.
KOCH: Including phasing out in 45 days contracts with problem plagued Argenbright Security. Though the government has said Argenbright employees may apply for the new federal jobs.
JEFF PROSANSKY, ARGENBRIGHT SECURITY SCREENER: They are coming with a box of applications, and hopefully they'll interview each of us and judge us fairly, and decide whether or not they're going to keep us.
KOCH: The government hopes by April to begin putting better trained and better paid federal screeners in the nation's airports. All 40,000 must be in place by November 19. But some are troubled by the fact that those workers will not enjoy the same whistleblower protection other federal employees do if they report problems at the new security agency.
MICHAEL MILLER, AVIATION WEEKLY: There are some major advances that we've had in this country because different people within government have blown the whistle on bad practices and if there's anything that needs a bad practice watchdog, it's airport security right now.
KOCH: While most passengers felt better with the government handling security ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a great idea. I feel more secure.
KOCH: ... others were unsure how accountable it would be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know that whenever the federal government gets a hand in anything, it's a lot of bureaucracy.
KOCH: So while this change over marks a milestone, the true test lies months away when the government eventually gets its own security personnel and equipment in place and then must prove it can do a better job than the private sector at keeping the skies safe.
Kathleen Koch, CNN, Dulles International Airport.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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