1,000 sailors in PH-US war games

From the Manila Standard Today (Jun 23): 1,000 sailors in PH-US war games

ABOUT 1,000 Filipino and American sailors are again joining each other this month for maritime exercises dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training or CARAT.

“There joint naval exercises with our American counterparts have been going on for years to strengthen our naval and maritime interoperability not only for defense and assault readiness but also for harnessing our disaster response capability,” Lieutenant Junior Grade Rommel Rodriguez, spokesman of the Philippine Fleet based in Sangley, Cavite, told Manila Standard in a phone Interview.

Filipino and US soldiers launch  mock
assaults  off the coast of San Antonio
in Zambales during the May 9, 2014 joint
naval  exercises. File Photo by AFP

He said the naval exercises were scheduled to kick off on June 26 and to last until July 1 in different areas in Luzon.

Rodriguez made his statement after China on Friday called on the Philippines and the United States to engage in other productive activities that would promote national security and trust in the region.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the comment on an official government website when asked what she thought about the coming naval exercises between Manila and Washington in disputed waters.
    
“We hope relevant countries can do more things that are conducive to promoting national security and mutual trust and safeguarding regional peace and stability,” Hua said.

The Philippines’ Defense Department on Friday confirmed that warships of Manila and Washington will hold joint exercises near the disputed West Philippine Sea amid the escalating territorial row between China and its neighbors.

Rodriguez denied foreign news reports that some of the exercises will be held in the disputed areas.

“It is correct that some of our naval exercises will be held in the West Philippine Sea but not within the disputed areas and those areas are all in Luzon,” Rodriguez said.

The United States’ 7th Fleet of the Pacific Command based in Hawaii will be sending some of its warships to join the exercises, but Rodriguez said he had no information about what type of ships the US would be sending.

The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Philippines and the US allows the docking and stationing of agreed-upon naval and air assets of the  US military in Philippine territory.

Higher sources said the US would be sending the USS Ashland (LSD48), the USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) and other naval warships. 

“The CARAT 2014 is part of an annual joint exercise series between the US Navy and the Philippine Navy,” Rodriquez said.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/06/23/1-000-sailors-in-ph-us-war-games/