Commandos of the elite British counter-terrorism unit, the Special Air Service (SAS), are expected to arrive in Manila next month to help train local police in urban counter-terrorist warfare, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

Sources at the police headquarters of Camp Crame in Manila said that the arrival of the SAS troopers was in line with the commitment made by British Prime Minister Tony Blair to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her visit to London late January.

"A select team of SAS trainers is due in Manila by the first week of March," said police sources, adding that PNP Deputy Director General, Florencio Fianza, is slated to leave for London this week to make final arrangements for the British crack unit's arrival in Manila.

The SAS is expected to train local police in urban counter-terrorism operations, including hostage rescue, bomb detection and disposal and intelligence, among others.

Arroyo, during her London visit, sought the assistance of the British in the light of unabated kidnapping in the Philippines which is seriously harming the image of the country abroad and has been keeping away foreign investors in light of the government's efforts to revive the economy.

Aside from training, the Philippines is also expected to receive modern crime-fighting equipment from the British.

PNP Director General Leandro Mendoza was earlier reported to have qualms about foreign law-enforcement agencies to train local police, as he noted that the situation in the Philippines is different from peculiarities in other countries.

He cited the case of kidnappings. He noted that unlike in other countries where abductions are usually carried out by groups with political objectives, kidnapping in the Philippines are mostly staged by kidnap-for-ransom groups.

Hundreds of kidnap-for-ransom cases took place every year in the Philippines mostly by the extremist Abu Sayyaf and several bandit groups in southern Philippines as well as crime syndicates in the northern part of the country, including those operating in Manila.

Police officials have recently accused some of their colleagues of being involved with the kidnap-for-ransom group although no formal cases have been filed in court against erring lawmen.