Arroyo pays tribute to dead Marines

President Gloria Arroyo visited Makati City's Fort Bonifacio to see the bodies of eight out of 11 Marines killed in a clash with Abu Sayyaf members in Sulu, southern Philippines, on October 12.

"We are very proud of them, of the sacrifice they made in Sulu," said Arroyo as she conferred posthumous medals of gallantry on the soldiers. Arroyo also raised their ranks, and assured their families that they would get benefits commensurate with the new ranks.

The President handed P100,000 ($ 1,923) as initial assistance to each of the families. She also announced that all government soldiers would get higher salaries by the end of this month.

"I hope that this will give you high morale because the people expect much from you," she said.
Meanwhile, 500 families left their homes and fled to safer places as government soldiers and rebels continue to fight, said Diamond Lucman, provincial social welfare officer in Lanao del Sur, central Mindanao.

Lucman said the evacuees came mostly from the towns of Sultan Gumander and Pualas where 600 government soldiers and members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) who remain loyal to jailed Nur Misuari, are expected to continue fighting each other.

An undetermined number have also fled to the town of Sapad in Lanao del Norte, Lucman said.

"They are anticipating a major fight between the rebels and government soldiers," said Lucman, adding that the evacuees are temporarily housed in school buildings in Malabang town.

Colonel Ernesto Boac, chief of the Lanao-based 401st Infantry Brigade, said the aim of the soldiers is to reach the jungle camp located in Sultan Gumander. The objective is to launch a pre-emptive assault on the camp where the Abu Sayyaf, the MILF and the MNLF have allegedly joined forces.

The military discovered the camp when traders from Pualas and Gumander said Yakan and Tausag-speaking persons have been buying bags of cement and rice. The buyers wanted the bags of cement and rice to be delivered at the edge of the jungles in Pualas, noted Col. Boac.

He explained that investigations had revealed that the Yakan and Tausug-speaking buyers were sending construction material to the camp which was being built by Abu Sayyaf leader, Isnilon Hapilon.

He added that those who bought the construction material were Hapilon's followers.