2 more military drills held between US, PH forces

From Malaya Business Insight (Oct 28): 2 more military drills held between US, PH forces

LAST month’s Amphibious Landing Exercise or Phiblex between American and Filipino troops was supposed to be the last under the administration of President Duterte.

Turns out that was not the case.

The two armed forces concluded in Palawan last Wednesday a naval drill and another Army special operations training is due to be held next month also in Palawan.

Vice Adm. Ronald Joseph Mercado, commander of the military’s Western Command based in Puerto Princesa City, said the recently-conducted training, dubbed Humanitarian Mine Action Assistance Training, stared last Oct. 17.

Mercado said the 10-day training involved US Navy Explosive and Ordnance Disposal and Philippine Navy Special Operations Unit personnel.

“It was just a US EOD and PH NAVSOU (Philippine Navy Special Operations Unit) EOD training that included dive planning, emergency dive procedures, sonar operation and practicals on sonar operation. The PN has a side scan sonar, hence part of training,” said Mercado.

He said the activity was among the exercises approved by the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board of the two armed forces.

“It is part of MDB-SEB activities titled Humanitarian Mine Action Assistance Training which was conducted 17 -26 Oct 2016,” said Mercado.

American and Filipino forces hold a number of annual military exercises under the Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement, the most prominent among them being the large-scale Balikatan, Phiblex, and Cooperation Afloat and Readiness Training.

Before the start of the eight-day Phiblex last Oct. 4, Duterte said the exercise will be the last with the US during his term.

US and Philippine Army special forces soldiers are due to hold another military exercise, also in Palawan, starting middle of November, according to Army spokesman Col. Benjamin Hao.

Dubbed as the Exercise Balance Piston 16-4, the one-month exercise will be held at the Maritime Training Facility in Puerto Princesa City and at a military camp in Rizal town.

Hao said “more than a dozen” US Special Operations forces will take part in the exercise along with a company-sized troop from the Philippine Army Special Forces. A company is composed of around 120 officers and men.

Hao said the bilateral exercise is meant to improve “the war fighting capabilities and interoperability of both the Philippine Army’s Special Operations Command and the US Special Operations Forces.”

The activities under Exercise Balance Piston 16-4 include subject matter expert exchange training on human rights, tactical combat casualty care, and marksmanship, said Hao.

“Since it is an annual training activity, the Philippine Army continues its preparations unless another order is issued by the higher headquarters,” said Hao.

AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said the recently-concluded exercise in Palawan involved a small number of troops.

“It was a small unit subject matter expert engagement that has long been prior scheduled,” said Arevalo.

He said the training was participated in by eight Filipino troops and four US counterparts.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/2-more-military-drills-held-between-us-ph-forces