Philippines drives anti-terror coalition

Mutual coordination may help stem the flow of terrorists across borders

By Rufi Viligar

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- The Philippines is taking the lead in setting up an anti-terrorist coalition that would eventually include all members of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Philippines House Speaker Jose De Venecia said the move would be a "show of solidarity with the United States and the United Nations during this period of crisis."

De Venecia sought approval to begin the process during a National Security Council meeting on Tuesday and on Wednesday Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona started consultations with the Indonesian and Malaysian ambassadors.

"Our three countries contain the great majority of East Asia's Muslim population," De Venecia said.

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"They also harbor veterans from the Afghan war and those who fought more recently on the side of the Taliban."

De Venecia said the coalition would later be extended to include Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, and Thailand.

The final step was to seek the participation of the remaining Asean members -- Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

De Venecia was hopeful the first step would be completed "within the next 60 days," with the participation of all Asean countries "within six months to a year."

He said the Philippine Congress was committed to increasing the intelligence budgets of the military and national police.

"Basically, the agreement would commit the signatories to share intelligence on terrorist activities," De Venecia said.

Mutual coordination in tightening control of frontiers would help stem the flow of illegal weapons and terrorists across borders, he said.

De Venecia said Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri had proposed mutual cooperation in curbing the flow of smuggled arms, during her visit to Manila last month.

Nascent extremism

"Joint peace-keeping operations may also be called upon from time to time," De Venecia said.

Indonesia faces separatist movements in Aceh and Irian Jaya, Muslim-Christian conflict in the Moluccas, and violence against Madurese migrants by indigenous Dayaks in Kalimantan.

Malaysia has had to stamp out nascent Muslim extremism spurred by the jailing of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The planned coalition "could have the effect of isolating the Abu Sayyaf and outflanking any adventurist moves of the more extremist elements of the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) or MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front)," De Venecia said.

The Abu Sayyaf still holds 18 hostages, including two American missionaries, taken in three kidnapping incidents since May 27.