Arroyo visits troops on Philippine rebel isle

MANILA, Aug 23 (Reuters) President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo visited troops today on a southern island where 30 soldiers have been killed in the past month in fighting with Islamic militants and promised them more pay.

The military threw a strict security cordon on Basilan island for Arroyo's visit, the first time she has visited since June 2002.

Soldiers in full battle gear manned checkpoints, standing beside armoured vehicles mounted with machineguns.

''You deserve recognition for your sacrifices in fighting the terrorists here,'' Arroyo said after a communal meal of steamed rice, grilled fish and crabs with hundreds of troops at a Marine base on Basilan.

''That recognition would be in the form of increasing your combat pay. So, I have asked the defence secretary to review and study ways to raise that extra allowance.'' The combat allowance for Philippine troops in conflict zones is a measly about 5 dollars.

Fighting with Muslim militants has also erupted on the nearby island of Jolo, where nearly 30 soldiers have been killed. The government blames the Abu Sayyaf, a group linked to al Qaeda and the regional Jemaah Islamiah network.

There were no reports of fighting today.

The Philippine military has said a total of 57 soldiers had died in battles against the Abu Sayyaf on Basilan and Jolo in the past two months and claimed to have killed nearly 80 rebels.

Arroyo said the offensive in the south was directed against the Abu Sayyaf, ordering her troops to respect a truce with two other Muslim rebel groups -- the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The government and the MNLF had signed a peace deal in 1996 and the implementation of the accord is up for review late this month in Indonesia.

Arroyo said talks with the MILF would resume next month in Kuala Lumpur.

REUTERS AM RN1624