RP GETTING CHOPPERS, OTHER US MILITARY AID

Clinton Airs Commitment

WHITE HOUSE, Washington, D.C. (Via PLDT) - United States President
Bill Clinton, noting the shift of international terrorism operations
to Southeast Asia from the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the Indian
sub-continent, yesterday committed to President Estrada that the
United States will help upgrade the police and military capability of
the Philippines to fight terrorism and drug smuggling.

The US military assistance offer was presented to President Estrada at
the beginning of the two leaders' discussion here. Together with
investment offers confirmed by a league of American businessmen, it
could be the crowning jewel of Estrada's 10day working visit to the
US.

Emerging from the Oval Office, Estrada, who looked more than pleased
over the result of his meeting with the US leader, read a brief
statement before members of the foreign media on the coverage of the
range of issues he discussed with Clinton.

In their meeting, the two presidents reaffirmed the importance of the
democratic alliance of the Philippines and the United States whose
historical, political, and economic ties have withstood the test of
time and distance.

The US military commitment is perceived by RP-US defense analysts as
the first giant step to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP).

Estrada hailed Clinton's commitment as "a shining moment of RP-US
relations," adding that it was America's way of putting a premium on
the democratic and historical alliance between the two
governments.

He said he was more than happy, citing the significance of the US
commitment that came not as a result of "talking points on bilateral
issues across negotiating tables" but as an expression of defense
cooperation and mutual respect between two allies.

The military package to the Philippines is estimated to initially cost
$105 million.

The Pentagon also committed appropriate funds to support the
anti-drugs operations launched by the Estrada administration.

The Philippines, given its wide shoreline that is bigger than that of
the US, is one of the transhipment points in international drug smuggling.

While admitting that the defense cooperation issue was in his shopping
list mainly to modernize the AFP, Presiden Estrada said that what the
US committed to the Philippines in military equipment and hardware
"was more than what I came here for."

The US remains the Philippines' strongest military ally and its
largest trading partner.

Among the military equipment for immediate delivery to the Philippine
government are eight UH-1H "Huey" helicopters for the Philippine Air
Force, 100 military trucks, one navy vessel, and other military armaments.

Prior to Estrada's visit to the Philippines, US defense officials led
by Defenses Secretary William Cohen had been holding discussions with
RP defense authorities led by Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado on how
the US can help upgrade RP's defense capability.

Their discussions were a follow-up of an earlier offer made by Clinton
to Estrada to modernize the AFP when they met last year during the 7th
Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Auckland, New Zealand.

Cohen assured Estrada of continuing RP-US defense cooperation and
continuing appropriate funds needed to strengthen the security
requirements of the Philippines in relation to its campaign agaisnt
international terrorism and drug smuggling.

RP-US defense analysts saaid the US military commiment is a big boost
to the AFP modernization plan after the two-year-old Asian financial
crisis set back the Philippine government's ambitious 15-year P331-
million program to raise the defense capability of its Armed Forces.

The US commitment was supported by official documents showing the
movement of international terrorism.

White House and Pentagon officials noted the shift of international
terrorism activities as early as 1995 when police authorities raided
the hideout in Manila of the New York World Trade Center bomber Ahmed
Ramsey Yousef.

Before that, Yousef planted a bomb in a Philippine Airlines aircraft
enroute to Tokyo, Japan. The bomb exploded near Japan, killing one
Japanese.

Yousef has also been to Camp Abubakar and has close links with the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu Sayyaf.

Camp Abubakar, the main MILF stronghold together with 45 other MILF
satellite camps were overrun by the Philippine military at the height
of ans offensive ordered by President Estrada.

Omana Bin Laden, a multi-millionaire reportedly residing in
Afghanistan and listed as the most wanted terrorist in the US with a
$5-million price on his head, has reportedly been funding terrorist
organizations operating in Southeast Asia, Pakistan, Iran, and
Afghanistan.

Following his meeting with President Clinton at the White House,
Estrada addressed the Fil-Am Foundation and Fil-Am communities at the
JW Marriott Hotel here in Washington where he aired his gratitude to
the US military commitment in behalf of his people.

In his address, Estrada thanked Clinton for his concern in his
administration's campaign against international terroism and other
transnational crimes as he pointed to the importance of US government
gave to RP-US relations.

During the meeting between President Estrada and members of his
official delegation with President Clinton and other US officials,
including Defense Secretary William Cohen and National Security
Adviser Sandy Burger, the Filipino leader received commendation for
his deft handling of the hostage crisis in Mindanao and his commitment
to bring lasting peace and development to the South despite the armed
threat posed by separatist groups.

US Undersecretary for Global Affairs Frank Loy praised the President
for his "bold and courageous handling of the hostage situation."

Loy lauded Mr. Estrada for both the extra care he showed to ensure the
safety of hostages as well as the strength he applied to resolve the
situation when it was needed.