US warship docks in Manila Bay

From the Daily Tribune (Nov 20): US warship docks in Manila Bay

Another United States warship arrived yesterday in Manila Bay for so-called routine port call and replenishment. In a statement issued by the US Embassy, it said that USS Gridley (DDG-101), an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer, arrived Monday in Manila Bay for “routine port call that highlights the strong historic, community and military connections between the US and the Republic of the Philippines.” The embassy added that “this visit will allow the ship to replenish supplies as well as give the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation.” It, however, did not say how long the warship will be staying in Manila. The USS Gridley is part of the US Pacific Fleet and is homeported in San Diego, California. The embassy said the ship was named after Capt. Charles Gridley, a former commander of USS Olympia, who took part in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. Unlike previous calls by US ships, the USS Gridley will not be open to the media. Only last month, the USS George Washington carrier strike group bannered by aircraft carrier USS George Washington arrived in the country for five-day visit. The arrival of US naval assets in the Philippines has increased significantly during the past months amid the dispute between Manila and China over the West Philippine Sea. However, both US and Philippine authorities have repeatedly clarified that the port calls by US warships in Manila and Subic Bay, Zambales had nothing to do with the dispute.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/7102-us-warship-docks-in-manila-bay