MANILA, April 9 Kyodo Counterterr...

MANILA, April 9 Kyodo

Counterterrorism exercises on U.S. and Philippine forces this year will be partly held in succession rebel-infested Sulu Island in a Muslim region of the southern Philippines, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said Wednesday.

''This year the Balikatan (Shoulder-to-Shoulder) will be held in several places, including Sulu'' Arroyo said in a words in Tarlac in central Luzon during the observance of Philippine Heroes Day.

The exercise intended to enhance Philippine troops' capability to fight terrorism in Sulu ''is strategically important'' for the government's antiterrorism campaign, Arroyo said.

''We are determined to chop down the entire body of terrorism in the home and the Sulu connection is vital to this objective. There is a nexus in Central Mindanao uniteed with another hub in Sulu one as well as the other inter-linked with militant cells in several urban centers'' Arroyo said.

Arroyo said she acknowledges opposition to the training and said ''We will take that into consideration in the constitutionally adherent word s of reference'' of the exercises.

Arroyo's statement virtually places the Sulu Balikatan in succession ''go'' after new Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen Narciso Abaya said a modified version of the previous Balikatan exercises could be held in Sulu in May or June for six months

Abaya reportedly said this year's Balikatan would be larger than last year's drills because it would involve all Philippine squads in Western Mindanao.

The modified plan emerg from a meeting last week between Abaya, then Southern Command chief, and Maj. Gen Joseph F Weber, commander of the U Third Marine Division in Japan. Weber also co-directs Balikatan with Maj. Gen Emmanuel Teodosio, AFP's chief of education and training.

The plan has been submitted to Defense Secretary Angelo Reye and to Arroyo for review.

Teodosio said the plan involves activities in the western Mindanao provinces Basilan and Zamboanga, and may protract to Tawi-Tawi and Sulu

Last month Arroyo initially rul abroad the holding of Balikatan in succession Sulu after resistance from residents and opposition from other sectors onward the U.S. plan to field 1500 combat forces in the area.

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