Military

DATE=05/30/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-S/PHILIPPINES (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-290357

BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA

DATELINE=PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says he has made no decision yet to allow U-S military advisors to take a more active role in anti-terrorist operations in the southern Philippines. More from V-O-A Pentagon correspondent Alex Belida.

TEXT: Pentagon sources say the new commander of U-S forces in the Pacific favors a plan to let U-S military advisors go out on patrol with Philippine units pursuing Muslim rebels.

But Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says he has not yet discussed the proposal with the commander, Admiral Thomas Fargo, and he makes clear no decision has yet been made to go ahead with the idea.

/// RUMSFELD ACT ///

I have not decided on that. I am waiting for the new combatant commander in the region to make his recommendations to me. I think it is scheduled for sometime later this week or next week.

/// END ACT ///

There are now a total of about 12-hundred U-S troops in the Philippines --- about 160 of them actual advisors on the rebels' southern island base of Basilan.

Currently they are restricted to conducting training at the battalion or headquarters level and do not go out on actual anti-terrorist patrols.

The rebels are holding two American hostages along with a Philippine nurse.

On Wednesday, the U-S government offered a reward of up to five million dollars for information leading to the capture of the top five leaders of the rebel group, Abu Sayyaf. The Bush administration has linked the group to the al-Qaida terrorist network.

(Signed)

NEB/BEL