Bush has 'wrong impression' about Philippines

from the Manila Bulletin Online

Recto hits Bush remarks

Sen. Ralph Recto yesterday tagged as "false" the claim of US President George W. Bush that the Philippines is a major battleground in the war against terrorism.

This incorrect description made by Bush during a televised 90-minute debate with Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry meant the country’s already bruised reputation suffered another beating, added Recto.

"This is a global effort. But the front on this war is more than one place. The Philippines...we’ve got help...we’re helping them there to bring...to bring an Al Qaeda affiliate to justice," Bush said in response to a question on how he was going to pursue the fugitive Osama bin Laden.

But Recto’s reaction: "Well, the world’s most powerful man had just told a worldwide TV audience of half a billion, to the effect, that the Philippines is a major battleground in the war against terror.

"This is not the kind of publicity that we want. First, it is false. If Mindanao is being referred to, all is quiet in the Southern front; in fact, it’s not a front anymore. Guns have long been turned into ploughshares in that area. Peace is about to be won."

Recto added "we’ve been hit as collateral damage in the Bush-Kerry verbal war. There is no Al Qaeda presence here as there are no atomic bombs in Iraq."

He then said there is no Philippine intelligence report tagging the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as an organization of having direct links with the Al Qaeda.

Recto expressed hopes that people planning to visit or invest in the Philippines would not be scared of by the "imprecise remarks" of Bush and get the "wrong impression that the Philippines is an Al Qaeda hotspot." (Mario B. Casayuran)