4,000 GIs here for war games on 3 islands
Inquirer
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT-Another batch of about 4,000 American soldiers aboard three ships arrived here on Friday to participate in military exercises with Philippine soldiers.
Capt. Buller Parmer, the US military's information officer here, said the three US Navy ships-USS Essex (LHD2), USS Juneau (LPD 10) and USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49)-will serve as operating platforms for various naval maneuvers and amphibious operations.
Parmer said the ships would stay for as long as they could unload personnel and equipment for the Balikatan.
Their arrival came on the heels of the alleged rape by four US Marines of a 22-year-old Filipina in Subic.
US servicemen in other areas are also being accused of firing at stray dogs and of flying a remote controlled spy plane.
Parmer, however, said the US servicemen would not enjoy "liberty" or rest and recreation privileges during their stay in Subic.
Balikatan 2006 is the 22nd in the series of military exercises between US and Philippine military forces. The exercise will be held simultaneously in Cebu, Luzon and Jolo, Sulu.
The exercise will be conducted in three phases: Humanitarian and civic assistance in Jolo, a combined task force staff exercise in Cebu, and cross training and field training exercises in Luzon.
Parmer said 5,500 US military personnel and 2,800 AFP personnel will participate in the exercise.
Cebu
60 US Marines are in Cebu City for the joint military exercise with the soldiers of the Armed Forces Central Command there.
Centcom spokesperson Lt. Col. Jefferson Omandam said the US soldiers, who were billeted at the Marriott Hotel, came from military bases in Japan and the Pearl Harbor.
The Americans and 30 military officers, mostly colonels, will participate in the Combined Task Force Staff X.
But the exercises, which starts Feb. 20 and ends Feb. 25, will be purely "theoretical" and done in one of the function rooms of Marriott.
"We will be given hypothetical situations on actual locations and we will solve these on paper based on military doctrines," said Omandam, who is one of the expected participants of the joint military exercise.
On the other hand, Omandam said the US troops wanted to know more about the character of the country's insurgents compared with the other countries.
Jolo
In North Cotabato, the month-long antiterror training involving US Forces in Carmen town ended on Friday, Philippine and US military officials said.
But a similar activity in Sulu is being hounded by problems, including charges of spying and conduct unbecoming of US troops, aside from security threats from extremists.
Col. Ruperto Pabustan, commander of the Army's 602nd Infantry Brigade, said at least 35 American servicemen taught about 60 Filipino soldiers lessons on small unit tactics, rifle marksmanship, combat lifesaver training and field training exercises.
In Jolo, US aircraft and Philippine Navy vessels unloaded US servicemen and their equipment yesterday.
The Balikatan starts today.
Lt. Col. Eddie Paruchabutr, spokesperson for the Balikatan-Humanitarian Program in Sulu, said as of Saturday last week alone, about 250 US personnel were already "on the ground."
Paruchabutr said security has become their utmost concern, adding that they were working closely with Philippine authorities to ensure that "we have adequate security personnel." Ansbert Joaquin, PDI Central Luzon Desk; Jhunnex Napallacan, PDI Visayas Bureau; Julie Alipala and Jeoffrey Maitem, PDI Mindanao Bureau
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT-Another batch of about 4,000 American soldiers aboard three ships arrived here on Friday to participate in military exercises with Philippine soldiers.
Capt. Buller Parmer, the US military's information officer here, said the three US Navy ships-USS Essex (LHD2), USS Juneau (LPD 10) and USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49)-will serve as operating platforms for various naval maneuvers and amphibious operations.
Parmer said the ships would stay for as long as they could unload personnel and equipment for the Balikatan.
Their arrival came on the heels of the alleged rape by four US Marines of a 22-year-old Filipina in Subic.
US servicemen in other areas are also being accused of firing at stray dogs and of flying a remote controlled spy plane.
Parmer, however, said the US servicemen would not enjoy "liberty" or rest and recreation privileges during their stay in Subic.
Balikatan 2006 is the 22nd in the series of military exercises between US and Philippine military forces. The exercise will be held simultaneously in Cebu, Luzon and Jolo, Sulu.
The exercise will be conducted in three phases: Humanitarian and civic assistance in Jolo, a combined task force staff exercise in Cebu, and cross training and field training exercises in Luzon.
Parmer said 5,500 US military personnel and 2,800 AFP personnel will participate in the exercise.
Cebu
60 US Marines are in Cebu City for the joint military exercise with the soldiers of the Armed Forces Central Command there.
Centcom spokesperson Lt. Col. Jefferson Omandam said the US soldiers, who were billeted at the Marriott Hotel, came from military bases in Japan and the Pearl Harbor.
The Americans and 30 military officers, mostly colonels, will participate in the Combined Task Force Staff X.
But the exercises, which starts Feb. 20 and ends Feb. 25, will be purely "theoretical" and done in one of the function rooms of Marriott.
"We will be given hypothetical situations on actual locations and we will solve these on paper based on military doctrines," said Omandam, who is one of the expected participants of the joint military exercise.
On the other hand, Omandam said the US troops wanted to know more about the character of the country's insurgents compared with the other countries.
Jolo
In North Cotabato, the month-long antiterror training involving US Forces in Carmen town ended on Friday, Philippine and US military officials said.
But a similar activity in Sulu is being hounded by problems, including charges of spying and conduct unbecoming of US troops, aside from security threats from extremists.
Col. Ruperto Pabustan, commander of the Army's 602nd Infantry Brigade, said at least 35 American servicemen taught about 60 Filipino soldiers lessons on small unit tactics, rifle marksmanship, combat lifesaver training and field training exercises.
In Jolo, US aircraft and Philippine Navy vessels unloaded US servicemen and their equipment yesterday.
The Balikatan starts today.
Lt. Col. Eddie Paruchabutr, spokesperson for the Balikatan-Humanitarian Program in Sulu, said as of Saturday last week alone, about 250 US personnel were already "on the ground."
Paruchabutr said security has become their utmost concern, adding that they were working closely with Philippine authorities to ensure that "we have adequate security personnel." Ansbert Joaquin, PDI Central Luzon Desk; Jhunnex Napallacan, PDI Visayas Bureau; Julie Alipala and Jeoffrey Maitem, PDI Mindanao Bureau
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