Balikatan war games begin on Feb. 18
The bulk of the contingent will do field exercises in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Crow Valley in Tarlac, Clark Field, Subic Bay, Fort Bonifacio and Ternate, Cavite.
US and Philippine military authorities remain undecided on whether or not to allow American soldiers participating in the Balikatan war games to visit fun houses during their rest and recreation.
Balikatan, to be held from Feb. 18 to March 3, will have American and Filipino soldiers doing civic and medical mission in Mindanao while some of their colleagues will undergo military training in Nueva Ecija, Subic and Cavite.
Balikatan spokesman Maj. Ramon Zabala said there will be R&R for the American servicemen, but only if they have time. This, Zabala said, will have to be planned by the Armed Forces and the US contingent from the 3rd Marines Expedition consisting of 6,000 soldiers.
Balikatan exercises, governed by the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and US, was marred in 2006 by an ugly episode of an R&R turned nasty involving Marines Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith who was found guilty of raping a Filipina at Subic Bay after a drinking spree. Smith has appealed his case while he remains under the custody of the US embassy in Manila.
Under this year’s Balikatan, Zabala said some 600 US soldiers will do civil works and medical missions in Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, Marawi City and Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte provinces.
The bulk of the contingent will do field exercises in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Crow Valley in Tarlac, Clark Field, Subic Bay, Fort Bonifacio and Ternate, Cavite.
Zabala said just like in the last two exercises, Filipino and American soldiers will undergo training in “coast watch” or marine security.
Observers from Australia and United Kingdom have been invited to exchange information with their Filipino and US counterparts, especially in the fight against terror and insurgency. Some of the soldiers will undergo war games in areas infested with combatants from the Moro insurgents and the communist New People’s Army.
Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte visited eight soldiers who were wounded in a clash with the NPA in Bangangga, Davao Oriental Thursday.
Duterte visited the wounded members of the 67th Infantry Battalion at the Doctors Medical Center and the Camp Panacan Hospital in the city to “boost their morale” and donated P10,000 to each victim, and pledged to pay for all their medical expenses.
“It’s our way of saying thank you to these men in uniform for putting their lives on the line just to make sure that we live peacefully in the city,” Duterte said.
Aside from handling out cash to the wounded soldier, the local chief executive also promised to extend financial assistance to the families of those soldiers who perished in the several-hour firefight in the remote town of the said province.
Asked if the military can crush the NPA in 2010, Duterte said it would be better for both sides to consider peace negotiations to avoid further loss of lives.
Balikatan, to be held from Feb. 18 to March 3, will have American and Filipino soldiers doing civic and medical mission in Mindanao while some of their colleagues will undergo military training in Nueva Ecija, Subic and Cavite.
Balikatan spokesman Maj. Ramon Zabala said there will be R&R for the American servicemen, but only if they have time. This, Zabala said, will have to be planned by the Armed Forces and the US contingent from the 3rd Marines Expedition consisting of 6,000 soldiers.
Balikatan exercises, governed by the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and US, was marred in 2006 by an ugly episode of an R&R turned nasty involving Marines Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith who was found guilty of raping a Filipina at Subic Bay after a drinking spree. Smith has appealed his case while he remains under the custody of the US embassy in Manila.
Under this year’s Balikatan, Zabala said some 600 US soldiers will do civil works and medical missions in Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, Marawi City and Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte provinces.
The bulk of the contingent will do field exercises in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Crow Valley in Tarlac, Clark Field, Subic Bay, Fort Bonifacio and Ternate, Cavite.
Zabala said just like in the last two exercises, Filipino and American soldiers will undergo training in “coast watch” or marine security.
Observers from Australia and United Kingdom have been invited to exchange information with their Filipino and US counterparts, especially in the fight against terror and insurgency. Some of the soldiers will undergo war games in areas infested with combatants from the Moro insurgents and the communist New People’s Army.
Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte visited eight soldiers who were wounded in a clash with the NPA in Bangangga, Davao Oriental Thursday.
Duterte visited the wounded members of the 67th Infantry Battalion at the Doctors Medical Center and the Camp Panacan Hospital in the city to “boost their morale” and donated P10,000 to each victim, and pledged to pay for all their medical expenses.
“It’s our way of saying thank you to these men in uniform for putting their lives on the line just to make sure that we live peacefully in the city,” Duterte said.
Aside from handling out cash to the wounded soldier, the local chief executive also promised to extend financial assistance to the families of those soldiers who perished in the several-hour firefight in the remote town of the said province.
Asked if the military can crush the NPA in 2010, Duterte said it would be better for both sides to consider peace negotiations to avoid further loss of lives.
By Jaime Pilapil - Manila Standard Today
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
6:59 AM
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