Palace: Increased US presence not because of China

Malacañang on Thursday denied the disputes with other countries over territories in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) were the reason for the increased US presence in the Philippines that was announced by President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday.

Secretary Edwin Lacierda, Mr. Aquino’s spokesperson, nevertheless acknowledged that the rise in the numbers of US troops and vessels visiting the country would contribute to the stability of the region, as well as improve the Philippine military’s capability to protect the country.

Military ‘updates’

Lacierda said the beefed-up US presence was not related to the territorial disputes with China and other claimant-countries to the Spratlys and other potentially rich islands in the West Philippine Sea.

“No, it’s in line with the belief of the President [that] we have to update our military training and capability,” he said during the daily Malacañang news briefing.

“As you know, our military hardware are not quite up to date with [that of] our neighbors. So it’s imperative for us to update our military hardware and that’s for purposes of the protection of our country as well. But this is primarily to improve our military training and capability,” he said.

As for whether an increased US presence would contribute to stability in the West Philippine Sea, Lacierda said: “It will certainly.

He reiterated, however, that the primary reason for expanding the joint military exercises with the United States was the expected improvement in the capability of the Philippine military.

“What we can say for certain is that the acquisition of military hardware and the training of our Philippine troops would certainly improve our capability to protect our borders and to protect ourselves from any threat from without,” he said.

“So that is our position. That’s the reason we’re getting training, not only from them (US), by the way,” he added.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Thursday described plans to hold more joint military training exercises with the United States as an “expanded VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement), but definitely with no bases” involved.

He said the “high value” and “high impact” exercises would benefit the armed forces of both the Philippines and the US—which would be sending over more troops—although he could not say how many servicemen would be participating on both sides.

“I cannot be definite on the numbers but definitely there will be more participation of forces from both the US and the Philippines,” Gazmin told reporters during the 115th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army at Fort Bonifacio.

New exercises

He said the exercises would be different from those conducted in Mindanao, which American forces traditionally visit as part of the annual Balikatan joint training exercise.

“We are looking at exercises that will be of value to both countries, those high-impact exercises that can help us in a lot of areas,” said Gazmin.

He cited among these exercises at sea to help the Philippine Navy improve its emergency and disaster response skills.

President Aquino earlier said the Philippines was looking to the United States for help in building up its defense capability in the midst of maritime tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea and other security concerns.

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DJ Yap, Norman Bordadora | Philippine Daily Inquirer | March 23, 2012 | Article Link

Zamboanga better with American troops

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A guard signaled our driver to move between rows of 7-ft-high concrete barriers of a bomb containment area, before allowing us to move to the side of the bullet-proof sentry gate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Command, manned by rifle-carrying soldiers in camouflage uniform.

This scene is somehow different to other military facilities I've visited in the Philippines, since this is also the camp where US troops are stationed under the Philippines-US Visiting Forces Agreement.

Since 1999, when the treaty was signed by the Philippine Senate, US troops were stationed here in this part of Southern Philippines, holding training missions with and for Philippine troops.

AFP Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Major General Noel Coballes said the American soldiers are very cordial in dealing with their Filipino counterparts.

"May mga panahon na down-to-earth, meron din namang professional ang dating. But most of these are all cordial," Coballes told ABS-CBN News.

Comrades-in-arms

Coballes said the US troops have been accustomed to the way of life in the camp that they treat Filipino soldiers like their own comrades, rendering salute even to Filipino officers. 

The main purpose of the US troops' presence is to train with their Filipino counterparts on military inter-operability.

Coballes said both sides have benefitted greatly in the training they have undergone.

A concrete example is the capture of prominent leaders of Abu Sayyaf Group, which is known to have links with the international terror group Al-Qaeda.

Americans, on their part, have also tried to maximize the value of their presence here in the country by undertaking civil-military operations.

These kind of operations include medical missions and building infrastructure projects like road networks and classrooms in different parts of the country where American troops are present.

"As of this time, nagsimula yan ng mga 2006, more than $20 million na iyung na-contribute nila sa Jolo and there are also some projects in Basilan, like iyung ngayon, I understand yung Amaoy roadnet, kanilang project yun. Although iyung nagta-trabaho noon ay civilian contractor, but the funding came from them," Coballes said.

Best sentry gate

Even Camp Navarro -- the compound that hosts the AFP Wesmincom and the US troops -- benefited from the infrastructure projects through road concreting and improvement of its sentry gate.

The sentry gate can be considered the best in the Philippines, incomparable to other military facilities in the country.

Camp Navarro's gate is similar to the set-up used by US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It has solar-powered lights, blast-proof windows and 7-ft-high concrete bomb containment area.

Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang of AFP Wesmincom's Civil-Military Operations said he even got the Americans to renovate the camp's Public Affairs Center, which used to house Zamboanga's Defense Press Corps.

"Nagkaroon ako ng chance dati na makasama yung American counterpart ko, naglalakad kami dito, tinanong ko kung pwede kaming tulungan na ipaayos yan, pinaayos naman nila," said Cabangbang.

No problem in Zamboanga

The AFP Wesmincom said US soldiers have not given a big problem to Zamboanga City. "Hindi naman sila naging problema dito. Never silang (residents of Zamboanga) nagkaroon ng malakihang reklamo sa mga Amerikano. Of course, hindi naman natin mape-perpekto lahat ng organization eh. Merong mailiiit, pero hindi nakaapekto yun sa kanilang, ang presensya nila dito, di nakaapekto yun," Coballes said.

The last time the Philippines had a major problem with American soldiers was in 2006, when a rape case was filed against Lance Corporal Daniel Smith in Subic.

The case was eventually dismissed in 2010 after the complainant retracted her affidavit where she claimed she was raped. The girl who filed the complaint is now reportedly living in the US.

The Philippines is not new to these cases.

During the 1970s and the 1980s, when Americans still had bases in Subic and Clark, cases of sexual abuse and maltreatment involving American troops were filed by Filipinas. Most of the cases never prospered in court.

On June 17, 1991, the Americans pulled out and evacuated from the bases.

It was 2 days after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in Pampanga, an eruption that was worse than that of Mount St. Helens in US.

Two months later, the Philippine Senate voted against extending or renewing the US government's lease on the land where their military bases stood, ending their 50-year stay in the country.

Business growing in Zamboanga

Now, more than a decade has passed since "GI Joes" returned to the Philippines.

Their presence in Zamboanga has somehow brought good vibes to the local business here.

Zamboanga is the hub of business in Western Mindanao, being the transhipment point of goods and produce not only from Zamboanga Peninsula but also from the areas of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi provinces.

Business is now growing despite negative reports of bombings and kidnappings in the southern Philippines.

A hotel owner said the presence of Americans has somehow brought positive effects to their community. "In a way, nakakatulong. I would say na it is an added security blanket for Zamboangueños, because nakikita nga natin, we're threatened by terrorists," said Brian Go, general manager of Garden Orchid Hotel.

Go, however, also admitted that the presence of the Americans in their city also has its negative side. 

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Jorge Cariño | ABS-CBN News | 03/05/2012 10:35 PM | Article Link

Special Forces, AFP Honor "Wild 42"

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines ‐ Members of Joint Special Operations Task Force ‐Philippines held a ceremony Feb 22, 2012 observing the 10th anniversary of an aircraft accident that claimed the lives of JSOTF‐P service members serving in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines joined U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen at Camp Navarro in paying respects to Special Operations Aviators and Air Commandos who perished when their US MH‐47E Chinook helicopter, call sign "Wild 42," went down in the Bohol Sea while returning from a mission in Basilan in 2002.

“Ten years ago today Operation Enduring Freedom‐Philippines was well underway, when tragedy struck our nation again,” said U.S. Army Chaplain (Captain) Johnnie lder, while leading a prayer. “Ten American warriors died, bringing the world‐wide war on terror casualty count to 32 that day. Let us bow our heads.” 

An intense, multi‐day search and rescue operation followed. First responders recovered remains of eight of the ten service members a few miles off the southern coast of the Negros Islands. 

During the ceremony, U.S. Army Col. Fran Beaudette, commander of JSOTF‐P, and the JSOTF‐P Senior Enlisted Advisor, Command Sergeant Major Frank Gilliand, laid a wreath at the base of a memorial plaque. A bell rang as each of the names of the fallen was recited.

Lost were: U.S. Army Maj. Curtis D. Feistner; Army Capt. Bartt D. Owens; Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jody L. Egnor; Army Staff Sgt. James P. Dorrity; Army Staff Sgt. Kerry W. Frith; Army Staff Sgt. Bruce A. Rushforth Jr.; Army Sgt. Jeremy D. Foshee; Spec. Thomas F. Allison; Air Force Master Sgt. William L. McDaniel II and Air Force Staff Sgt. Juan M. Ridout. 

“Ten years ago, the lives of ten families changed forever,” said Col. Beaudette as he addressed the crowd, which included a joint formation of U.S. and Philippine forces. “Take time to think about these ten names and those hundreds of thousands of Americans and Filipinos before them who led them home and accomplished their missions, as we’ll accomplish ours.” 

U.S. Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines was established to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines in their fight against trans‐national terrorism. Since its inception, 17 U.S. service members have died while advising and assisting Philippine forces with efforts to secure peace and stability in the Mindanao Region.

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By Major Darrick Lee, JSOTF-P Public Affairs

February 24,2012

Shadow Spear - Special Operations

Shadowspear.com

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No US troops attacked in Basilan — PHL military

Philippine military officials on Sunday belied reports that US troops were attacked by a group of armed in Basilan province in southern Philippines last Saturday.
 
“There are no Americans [at the site of the attack],” said Col. Ricardo Visaya, commander of both the Joint Task Force Basilan and the Army’s 104th Brigade.
 
An unidentified group of armed men, believed to be extortionists, harassed workers in a US-funded road project in Amaloy village in Ungkaya Pukan town Saturday morning, resulting in one construction worker injured.
 
Troops from the 13^th Scout Ranger Company had been dispatched to pursue the alleged extortionists, whose group affiliation has yet to be known, Visaya said.
 
“We are conducting hot pursuit. We are still trying to locate them because they fled immediately. We are not sure of their group,” he said.
 
Visaya added US forces in Basilan are not helping in the pursuit. “They [Americans] did not respond… The Americans are just in my headquarters,” he said.
 
In a separate phone interview, Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, denied reports that US soldiers were providing security to the road project.
 
“They sub-contracted it to the Filipino contractor so that is not their responsibility…It’s not true that the Americans were there at the time of the strafing,” he said.
 
Cabangbang said US soldiers who are based in Basilan are confined at the 104^th Brigade headquarters.
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KBK, GMA News Online
February 12, 2012 4:40pm
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