Philippines, US Launch Live Fire Drills
Local Editor
The United States and the Philippines launched joint military drills following Manila's decision to end its long-running maneuvers with Washington.
Some 1,400 US soldiers from Washington's base in Okinawa, Japan, joined some 500 Philippine army personnel in the 33rd iteration of the Philippines Amphibious Landing Exercises [PHIBLEX33], media reports said Monday.
The PHIBLEX33 runs from October 4 to 12 at multiple locations on the island of Luzon and the Province of Palawan between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea.
The war-games include joint amphibious landing drills, live-fire training and humanitarian civil assistance exercises.
The drills are reportedly designed to advance military cooperation, improve interoperability and help strengthen bilateral military capabilities.
The maneuvers are the first between the two countries' military forces since the Philippines' outspoken leader, President Rodrigo Duterte, came to power in May.
"This year would be the last," Duterte said of the joint military exercises in a speech Friday in the southern city of Davao.
Duterte has called on foreign countries, including the United States, to stop meddling in Manila's affairs, and withdraw their forces from the Philippines.
On Friday, Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana echoed the president's remarks, saying, "I think we can live without [US] assistance."
Lorenzana said plans for joint patrols and naval exercises with the United States in the disputed South China Sea have been put on hold.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
Comments
- Related News
