READ THEIR LIPS | No link between PH-US war exercise and North Korea, insists AFP

From InterAksyon (Apr 6): READ THEIR LIPS | No link between PH-US war exercise and North Korea, insists AFP

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated Saturday that the ongoing joint military drills with the United States was not connected to or directed at North Korea.

AFP deputy spokesman Major Emmanuel Garcia said the Balikatan exercises, which opened Friday, was planned long before and focused on humanitarian assistance and development including community health engagements, infrastructure and road repair and disaster response.

"Balikatan is not directed towards nor against any nation," Garcia said.

Top US and Filipino military officials dismissed any connection between the military exercises and the tension in the Korean peninsula. US officials also steered clear of media queries if they would redeploy to the Korean peninsula their assets now in the Philippines, if tension escalates.

Garcia said the exercises were being done to "upgrade the skills and knowledge of both countries' soldiers, and enhancing interoperability of both militaries in responding appropriately, not only in combat but most importantly to calamities and disasters."

In a side interview after the Balikatan exercises opened Friday, Foreign Affairs Secretary said the Philippines would render “assistance” to the US under the terms of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), but he declined to provide details when asked by reporters if the “assistance” could include allowing a temporary re-basing arrangement with Washington, whose two largest overseas military bases were once hosted by the Philippines, until 1991.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58804/read-their-lips--no-link-between-ph-us-war-exercise-and-north-korea-insists-afp