Vice Admiral Ernesto de Leon said "task group Stingray," consisting of a group of fast patrol boats, would "make sure that our different resorts, beach resorts, island resorts, are equally protected from ... these kidnap-for-ransom elements, including the Abu Sayyaf."

He said it would focus on the resorts in the western island of Palawan and the central island of Boracay that are frequented by foreign tourists.

De Leon also said that "sea marshals" continued to be posted on commercial vessels to guard against Abu Sayyaf raids.

Abu Sayyaf gunmen raided a resort off Palawan, kidnapping three Americans and 17 Filipinos in May, 2001. Two of the Americans died while being held by the kidnappers.

The Abu Sayyaf also took 21 people, mostly Western tourists and Malaysian and Filipino workers, from Sipadan resort in Sabah in April 2000. Most of the hostages were released after ransom was paid.

Earlier this week the government announced that the Al-Qaeda-linked group had carried out the bombing of an inter-island ferry that caught fire at the mouth of Manila Bay in February, leaving more than 100 people dead in the worst terror attack in the country's history.

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