Philippine-U.S. Military Exercises Triggered Off

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 15, 2002

Philippine-U.S. Military Exercises Triggered Off

The joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States were triggered off on Tuesday in the southern Philippine island of Basilan and city of Zamboanga.

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The joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States were triggered off on Tuesday in the southern Philippine island of Basilan and city of Zamboanga.

The exercises will involve at least 660 American troops and 1,200 Philippine soldiers that would train in battlefields where Abu Sayyaf bandits are still on the run, the Philippine Daily Inquirer on-line news reported Tuesday.

The anti-terrorism military training will last for six months to one year, and will allow American troops to participate in the hunt against Abu Sayyaf bandits who are holding an American missionary couple and one Filipino hostages.

Philippine Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said previous war games were held under a premise of aggression by "imaginary" enemies, but the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. have thrown the two countries together facing real enemies.

About 160 soldiers from the U.S. contingent would be special operations men training some nine battalions of the Philippine Armed Forces. The American forces would also be bringing with them sophisticated military equipment.

The exercises are reportedly the first of their kind since 1999, when the Philippines ratified a Visiting Forces Agreement with the U.S. to pave the way for resumption of large-scale joint exercises.

The exercises are being implemented more than 10 years after the Philippines shut down two American military bases in Clark and Subic, north of the country.

Philippines-US Joint Military Exercises Start