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U.S. Troops Training in Philippines
Monday, March 4, 2002
(7:07 AM)
By By Oliver Teves
Associated Press Writer

The U.S. Army Chinook helicopter that crashed was one of two returning to Mactan after delivering equipment and U.S. special forces troops to Basilan.

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines -- AP
U.S. troops training Philippine soldiers in counter-terrorism in the southern Philippines will increase night flying exercises in coming days using helicopters, a U.S. military spokeswoman said Monday.

An MH-47E Chinook helicopter has arrived in the Philippines to replace one that crashed Feb. 22 in deep waters north of Zamboanga city, killing all 10 people aboard, Maj. Cynthia Teramae said.

The three Chinooks now in the country, all belonging to a special operations company based in Taegu, South Korea, will move to an air force base in Zamboanga from their temporary base on Mactan island in the central Philippines.

The joint Philippines-U.S. Balikatan or "shoulder to shoulder," exercise, with 660 U.S. troops, including 160 from the special forces, is aimed at wiping out the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group.

The special forces soldiers, armed only for self-defense, have been deployed to Basilan island close to Zamboanga to observe Filipino troops fighting Abu Sayyaf guerrillas who hold an American couple and a Filipino nurse hostage.

The three Chinooks, mainly to transport cargo and troops, would add to three Pave Hawk helicopters, another version of the popular Army Blackhawks, already in Zamboanga.
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2002 © The Associated Press.

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