Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye issued the statement as visiting Australian Defense Minister Robert Hill, who was in Zamboanga City, said Canberra wants to help enhance the anti-terrorism capabilities of Filipino troops.

"We welcome the overtures from Australia for sea patrol cooperation under the principles of mutuality and sovereignty," Secretary Bunye said.

"It seems that our foreign allies are even more interested than some of our own legislators in bolstering the anti-terrorism campaign," he said.

With Australia ready to play a greater role in the crackdown against terrorists, Bunye urged lawmakers to do their part and enact a bill outlawing all forms of terrorism in the country.

"We must combine all the tools to fight terror, global cooperation and grassroots vigilance with a strong anti-terrorism bill that will facilitate the detection of terrorist cells, make them easier to arrest and keep them from executing their evil task," he said.

President Arroyo has repeatedly called on Congress to enact a bill outlawing all forms of terrorism in the country. But opposition lawmakers insinuated that the President would only use the anti-terrorism law, which allegedly includes provisions that may curtail human rights, to crack down on her critics.

Australia and the Philippines have agreed to boost intelligence exchanges and maritime surveillance in the hunt for radical Islamic militants in Mindanao.

Australian Defense Minister Robert Hill, who was visiting Zamboanga City yesterday, said Canberra also wants to enhance the antiterrorism capabilities of Filipino troops.

Australia has been actively helping governments in the region track down members and leaders of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), which has been blamed for this month’s bomb attacks in Bali that left 20 people dead.

The JI has also been blamed for the October 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, many of them Australian tourists.