Military Protects Basilan Water Vs Sayyaf Attack

Manila Times | April 2, 2002 | Joel R. San Juan, and Roland Ramos

[Stand Watch Listen]

THE military yesterday beefed up security in all water sources in Basilan after confirming intelligence reports that the Abu Sayyaf had planned to poison the island’s water supply.

The Southern Command, however, could not explain how would they poison the Basilan water sources.

In another development, joint military training exercises for the Balikatan have been stalled for two weeks due to the delayed submission of training modules.

Maj. Cynthia Terramae, US spokesman for Balikatan explained that the proposed training modules have "yet to be signed by proper authorities" in Washington and Manila.

Terramae, however, said Balikatan participants still "on the right track" as there are trainings being conducted in battalion levels in Basilan.

According to Southern Command Spokesman Lt. Col. Danilo Servando, trainings done in battalion levels in Basilan included "intelligence fusion, combat insertions and extrications, and small- scale combat mission."

Officials of both countries denied the training had been stalled because of the ongoing rescue operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan.

Terramae, however, could not say when they expect the training modules to be signed. Secure water reservoirs

In a telephone interview, Col. Alexander Aleo, commander of Army’s 103rd Brigade which is based in Basilan said government troops are securing the water reservoirs in Isabela City, Lamitan and Maluso towns.

"We have already deployed additional forces to secure the water supply in the island particularly in some places that are known territories of the bandit groups," Aleo said.

Aleo said they received intelligence reports that Abu Sayyaf bandits had actually planned to contaminate the water supply in the province to divert military’s ongoing pursuit operations against them.

The bandits are still holding American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipina nurse Deborah Yap.

They were last spotted somewhere in Maluso town last week, military reports said.