Philippines-US Military Exercise Put Off, to Start in 2 Weeks

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 29, 2002

Philippines-US Military Exercise Put Off, to Start in 2 Weeks

The Filipino-American joint military exercise have been postponed, and are expected to start in two weeks, the Philippine Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said.

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The Filipino-American joint military exercise have been postponed, and are expected to start in two weeks, the Philippine Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said.

There has been no major change in the operational aspects of the exercises, coded "Balikatan," even as preparations continue to fine tune what Reyes described as "minor things having to do with the opening of the exercises."

The formal start of the joint exercises could be around the first or second week of February, the ABS-CBN on-line news Tuesday quoted Reyes as saying.

Reyes stressed that only two American soldiers will be assigned to each Filipino company during the war games, and that they will not be joining any local combat patrol.

Bipartisan support for the American military presence in Mindanao appears to be eroding in the Senate as both pro-administration and opposition senators voice fears about the possible violation of the Constitution, a separate report here said.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Palace said it welcomes any judicial case that would question the legality of the Balikatan exercises in Basilan island and Zamboanga city in the southern Philippines.

Reports here said the PeaceCamp, a new coalition of militant groups in the country, will petition the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of the deployment of U.S. military troops in Mindanao area including Basilan and Zamboanga in the south.

Reports also said the Senate will invite President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Vice President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona to show up at the next Senate hearing looking into the legality of sending American soldiers to Mindanao.

Around 660 U.S. troopers and 1,200 Filipino soldiers will participate in the joint exercises, widely seen as an offensive to eradicate Abu Sayyaf bandit group which is still holding hostage two Americans and a Filipina.

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