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CNN Sunday Morning

U.S. Troops Help Train Philippine Soldiers

Aired February 03, 2002 - 07:53   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: More U.S. troops in the Philippines are helping train Philippine soldiers in their fight against terrorists. As CNN's Maria Ressa reports, Philippine's president is determined to stop terrorist groups.

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MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Barely five feet, she's petite. But this Philippine president has a fighting spirit. Last year, Gloria Arroyo resigned this vice president to protest corruption, helping trigger a people power report which brought her in as her nation's new leader.

Soon after, she declared all out war against the Muslim extremist group, the Abu Sayyef. Notorious for kidnapping and beheadings, it is linked to al Qaeda.

After eight months of a grueling guerrilla war, Filipino troops have narrowed the chase to a small slice of Basilan (ph), the hostages down to three. Americans Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipina Debra Yep (ph).

Among the first leaders to support the U.S. war on terror, Mrs. Arroyo took another step in fighting terrorism in the country, taking scheduled training exercises between American and Filipino troops to the island of Basilan (ph). War games, where troops will use live bullets and hit live targets.

That has brought nationalists and leftist groups out on the streets of America's only former colony in Asia.

The military takes a pragmatic view. It will get hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and equipment, help in fighting the different armed groups in this country. Aside from the Abu Sayyef, there are Muslim separatist groups, the MILF and MNLF and the Communist New People's Army.

Mrs. Arroyo says fighting terrorists is taking resources away from her main enemy, poverty. The sooner she can wipe out the Abu Sayyef, she says the sooner she can get on with her overarching goal, to get the economy back in shape and give her people a better life.

Maria Ressa, CNN, Zamboanga City, the Philippines.

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