"What happened was devastating, but we should not lose our focus in our humanitarian work there such as building schools to bring education to the people," Kenney told reporters after personally handing over relief goods to the victims of tropical storm Ondoy that was held at the Diosdado Macapagal Elementary School in Quezon City.

In a statement released Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy said it is now conducting investigation on the tragic incident.

The Soldiers were traveling on a Humvee truck between the villages of Kagay when a landmine went off under them, killing them instantly. The attack took place near a Philippine Marine detachment.

The American Soldiers were members of a Construction Battalion (Seabee) team. No suspects have been identified yet but Sulu is a lair of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said Wednesday "the President deplores the barbaric act . . . and wants to know who is behind this incident," he stressed adding the incident posed another hurdle to the peace efforts in the southern Philippines.

He said the Chief Executive has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct a thorough investigation on the incident, which also injured two others

The incident in Jolo, however, opened an opportunity for Sen. Rodolfo Biazon to reiterate his call to remove the U.S. troops from conflict prone areas in Mindanao.

Biazon has filed Senate Resolution 1370 seeking to transfer the joint military exercises between the U.S. military and the Philippine Army to non-combat prone areas.

"For as long as the American troops are allowed to conduct joint activities of any nature in combat prone areas, the possibility of Americans getting killed or killing a Filipino remains. This definitely constitute a violation of the VFA [Visiting Forces Agreement] or at least raise the question of sovereignty," Biazon said.

The death of two American Soldiers incident happened just a week after the Philippine government initiated a review of the military agreement that was stirred by the adoption of a Senate resolution seeking to renegotiate, or in case of resistance from the U.S. government, termination of the VFA because of irregularities favoring Washington.

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, who delivered a sponsorship speech on the resolution, said that the incident that killed two U.S. Soldiers proved that Americans Soldiers are really involved in combat operations, which is not allowed under the VFA.

"How come there are dead Americans in combat areas if it is true that they are not engaged in combat?" Santiago said.

Santiago also did not buy the idea that the Americans were killed in line of their duty to build schools.

"And the Filipinos are so stupid as to plant land mines in area for a school where most of their children will go there," Santiago said.

The senator also added that while U.S. won't tell it, it wants to use Mindanao as a watch tower because of the island's strategic location so as to keep track of their enemies they classify as terrorist such as Jemaah Islamiah and al-Qaeda, which is said to have links with Philippine-based Abu Sayyaf Group.

Santiago, however, welcomed the assistance provided by the U.S. troops for the victims of tropical storm Ondoy.

"No one in his right mind would reject this offer of humanitarian assistance. They gather intelligence by this means, so it is not always a one-way street. We may be benefiting as a people, but they are benefiting as well," she said.

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