Toll rises as Philippines steps up hunt for militants

[rastamanila 313]

Toll rises as Philippines steps up hunt for militants

MANILA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Philippine troops killed more than 30 Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda and overran the rebels' main base on a remote island in the south of the country, a top military commander said on Tuesday.

''We will not stop until such time that they are destroyed,'' Lieutenant-General Ben Dolorfino, commander of military forces in the southern Philippines, told reporters, referring to the Abu Sayyaf militants.

Dolorfino said about 15 militants were killed late on Monday when troops fought an estimated 100 Abu Sayyaf guerrillas who ambushed a military convoy in Indanan town, where eight soldiers were killed and nine wounded.

At least 34 Abu Sayyaf have been killed since Sunday, when troops, backed by air strikes, assaulted a fortified rebel base in the hilly interior of the southern island of Jolo, Dolorfino said, adding dozens were also wounded.

Dolorfino described the capture of the Abu Sayyaf stronghold near Indanan town as a major tactical and strategic accomplishment, denying militants a sanctuary and a training base on Jolo island.

Jolo is the stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf rebels, one of the smallest but deadliest Islamist militant groups in the largely Roman Catholic Philippine. It was blamed for the country's worst militant attack, a ferry bombing near Manila Bay that killed 100 people in February 2004.

Dolorfino said the military could have pre-empted a key meeting of the Abu Sayyaf because three of its top leaders --

Umbra Jumdail, Albader Parad and Isnilon Hapilon -- were in the areas when the fighting erupted on Sunday.

He said the rebels also lost Isnilon's trusted lieutenant and relative, Ustadz Muktar, who was killed on Monday.

Local officials on Jolo island said hundreds of families from remote villages around Indanan had fled their homes and farms due to two days of fighting.

(Reporting by Manny Mogato; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

[Paulyski 2,227]

Pardon my ignorance, but are the Philippines a U.S. territory?

I was under the impression they were, but I remember something changed a few years back

.

[dngrspot 3]

They used to be, but that was a while back. We granted them independence in 1946.

[sudaevpps43 31]

Always glad to hear when more Islamo-fascist-terrorist scumbags get permanently removed from circulation. Congratulations to the Phillippine Army, and here's to them keeping up the good work .

Edited September 23, 2009 by Frogfoot

[rastamanila 313]

Pardon my ignorance, but are the Philippines a U.S. territory?

I was under the impression they were, but I remember something changed a few years back

.

 

We were until July 4, 1946. We hosted Clark AFB and Subic Naval base until after Mount Pinatubo's catastrophic volcanic eruption in 1991.

 

I just wanna say here that along with our brethren American soldiers in WWII Filipinos were the only allies (including a vast guerrila force) in the Far East that fought the Imperial Japanese Army/Navy.

[rastamanila 313]

Always glad to hear when more Islamo-fascist-terrorist scumbags get permanently removed from circulation. Congratulations to the Phillippine Army, and here's to them keeping up the good work .

 

The Philippine Marines, The Philippine Army's Scout Rangers (our Green Beret equivalent), The Air Force's OV-10 Broncos, and their Special Operations Wing (SPOW) Jungle Fighters were all involved in this operation.

[Paulyski 2,227]

There are a LOT of Philippineos in the US Navy. They are excellent pool players, but generally clique up as do a lot of military personnel. We had an M.S. (cook) from the Philippines & he would make a dish called "Pansin"(spelling) it was absolutely delicious. I can't find it anywhere in the states outside of the Navy.

 

Anyhow good people, very hard working & intelligent in general.

 

I guess it must have been Guam that recently turned down the opportunity for U.S. statehood. I don't wonder why

I sometimes get the two mixed up. As we have such strong ties with both nations.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Paulyski

[rastamanila 313]

There are a LOT of Philippineos in the US Navy. They are excellent pool players, but generally clique up as do a lot of military personnel. We had an M.S. (cook) from the Philippines & he would make a dish called "Pansin"(spelling) it was absolutely delicious. I can't find it anywhere in the states outside of the Navy.

 

Anyhow good people, very hard working & intelligent in general.

 

I guess it must have been Guam that recently turned down the opportunity for U.S. statehood. I don't wonder why

I sometimes get the two mixed up. As we have such strong ties with both nations.

 

I myself nearly ended up in the US Navy's Merchant Marine because the secretary for Civilian Military Training (CMT) leaked out our grades so a whole bunch of us got letters.

 

A lot of my brethren have been working in Navy Mess Halls since before WWII. I know what you are talking about your M.S. made "Pansit (sometimes spelled Pancit but pronounced like the former) which is a staple noodle dish with lots of goodies within. You can find it in Filipino restaurants in SFO and Daly City or wherever "Jollibee" and "Max Fried Chicken" restaurants are found (I like the latter).

[Azrial 1,091]

We lived in Olongapo when I was a kid, not on base, but in the town itself, long story that. It was a great place to be a kid, but did have its cautions for a young American like myself. I first studied Kempo and Kali there!

 

The PI has proved itself to be our ally by fighting along with us on several occasions. I support them as a friend, particularly when they are killing our blood enemies!

[dngrspot 3]

Pardon my ignorance, but are the Philippines a U.S. territory?

I was under the impression they were, but I remember something changed a few years back

.

 

We were until July 4, 1946. We hosted Clark AFB and Subic Naval base until after Mount Pinatubo's catastrophic volcanic eruption in 1991.

 

I just wanna say here that along with our brethren American soldiers in WWII Filipinos were the only allies (including a vast guerrila force) in the Far East that fought the Imperial Japanese Army/Navy.

 

Actually, both the UK and Australia also fought in the Pacific Campaign of World War Two. While the UK was limited mostly to the China, Burma, and India Theater of operations, they did have a hand in the blockade of Japan. The UK also plagued Japanese shipping through the use of submarine warfare throughout WW2. In 1942, the Japanese navy sank 5 ships from the Royal Navy.

 

I understand that the United States and the Philibbines had more involvment in the pacific campaign, but saying that the Philippines were our only allies in the campaign is incorrect.

 

As for the Philippines Independence, well, they actually signed their Declaration of Independence from the US on 12 June of 1946. The US officially recognized the Philippines claim on 4 July of 1946. To say that the 4th of July of 1946 is the date of their independence would be the same as saying that September 3, 1783 is the date of US Independence from Great Britain, due to that being the date that the Treaty of Paris was signed by the US and GB, thereby denoting that Britain conceded that U.S. of A. was an independent nation.

[rastamanila 313]

Pardon my ignorance, but are the Philippines a U.S. territory?

I was under the impression they were, but I remember something changed a few years back

.

 

We were until July 4, 1946. We hosted Clark AFB and Subic Naval base until after Mount Pinatubo's catastrophic volcanic eruption in 1991.

 

I just wanna say here that along with our brethren American soldiers in WWII Filipinos were the only allies (including a vast guerrila force) in the Far East that fought the Imperial Japanese Army/Navy.

 

Actually, both the UK and Australia also fought in the Pacific Campaign of World War Two. While the UK was limited mostly to the China, Burma, and India Theater of operations, they did have a hand in the blockade of Japan. The UK also plagued Japanese shipping through the use of submarine warfare throughout WW2. In 1942, the Japanese navy sank 5 ships from the Royal Navy.

 

I understand that the United States and the Philibbines had more involvment in the pacific campaign, but saying that the Philippines were our only allies in the campaign is incorrect.

 

As for the Philippines Independence, well, they actually signed their Declaration of Independence from the US on 12 June of 1946. The US officially recognized the Philippines claim on 4 July of 1946. To say that the 4th of July of 1946 is the date of their independence would be the same as saying that September 3, 1783 is the date of US Independence from Great Britain, due to that being the date that the Treaty of Paris was signed by the US and GB, thereby denoting that Britain conceded that U.S. of A. was an independent nation.

Pardon me. I wasn't specific enough. I meant the Philippines was the only ASIAN ALLIED country in (endemic to) the Far East.

Edited September 24, 2009 by rastamanila

[sudaevpps43 31]

Pardon me. I wasn't specific enough. I meant the Philippines was the only ASIAN ALLIED country in (endemic to) the Far East.

 

Well there was also China, and technically even Russia qualifies since a big chunk of Russia is on the Asian continent (though Russia did not declare war on Japan until the last few months of the war).