Col. Robert McDowell, commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (Image captured from Solar News TV clip)
Following days of intense joint training exercises, Filipino and American soldiers took time to honor those who came before them.
They had a wreath-laying in Cabanatuan City, at the Pangatian War Memorial, the site of a concentration camp where Filipino guerilla and American liberation troops fought to rescue 516 allied prisoners of war.
Col. Robert McDowell, commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTFP), said: "It was people like this, long before any of us were born, that in a very difficult time, showed us what shoulder to shoulder means."
McDowell is based in Zamboanga City where American forces have set up, starting in 2002, facilities inside the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Twelve years since their so-called rotational deployment to the region, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) was forged.
In a rare interview with media, McDowell did admit the prolonged stay of US forces in Mindanao can be compared to the concept of the new defense deal.
"That is correct," he said. "We will be at places where Philippine armed forces are already at. We're not going to create any new bases. We serve at the pleasure of the Philippine government, and we work in numbers that are acceptable to the Philippine people as a whole, and what the government allows."
McDowell said that, despite the shift in focus of the two armed forces' priorities – from counter-terrorism in early 2000 to maritime security now – the US will keep its forces in Mindanao.
According to reports, American troops in the region have been gradually downsized in preparation for their redeployment to other parts of the country, depending on the agreed terms under EDCA.
"In reality, the mission and numbers of JSOTFP have actually decreased for many years," he said. "Well before EDCA, we've been reduced in numbers.
There was a point in time where we, just a few years ago, had well into over 500 soldiers down there. We're much smaller than that and a lot of that is due to the fact that the Philippine armed forces are very successful in what they are doing."
With EDCA still facing tough scrutiny by lawmakers, both Philippine and US forces will have to contend in the conduct of joint exercises for now.
On Sunday (May 11), Philippine Marine troops held a mock nearshore raid of an enemy hideout as their American counterparts observed closely.
It was also a chance for Marines to display the new riverine boats donated by US, as they made a simulated clandestine attack on their target.
The objective of the amphibious raid exercise was to test the interoperability of Filipino and US forces in a ship to shore combat operation. But then again, this wasjust an exercise. It will have to take more than Balikatan war-games for this to happen in the real life.
The Philippine Constitution clearly forbids foreign forces from engaging in combat on Philippine soil, something US forces in Mindanao have been accused of violating, by actively participating in operations to destroy terror groups like the Abu Sayyaf.
Under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, the US and the Philippines are compelled to aid each other in the event of an external attack.
Col. Alvin Parreño, superintendent of the Marine Corps Training Center, said: "The importance of this is the combined operation which might come later on. During invasion, war, or rebellion – at least we are ready for that. And, at least... the interoperability is very helpful to the troops."
Philippine officials insist that EDCA will simply pave the way for more joint activities like war-games, with the objective of advancing bilateral defense relations with US.
"There's not any need for us to have any wider access at this point in time," McDowell said. "The Philippine government and the armed forces have provided us plenty of access to work with the Philippine armed forces as needed. And again, it's been such a brotherhood, it's been easy to work that piece."
It remains to be seen whether EDCA will equally serve the best interests of Manila and Washington.
With a lukewarm reception of the military accord in Congress, it looks like the agreement's authors – at least on the Philippine side – will still have to do a lot of convincing.
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