RP, US Marines Finish Month-Long Markmanship Training In Basilan Island

Philippine Marines pose with their American counterparts in Tabiawan,village in Isabela City in Basilan province during the closing ceremony of a month-long Joint Expertise Exchange Training. Also in the photo are Lt. Charlie Loya (right), team leader of the U.S. marine contingent and Col. Ramiro Alivio, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade. (Photo contributed by Dave Malcampo, PIA Western Mindanao)

BASILAN ISLAND (Mindanao Examiner / 02 Jun) – Philippine and American Marines finished a month-long joint weapons and counter terrorism training in the southern island of Basilan.

The Philippine Information Agency said the recent training, which focused on weapons, marksmanship, tactics and counter terrorism strategies, were conducted by the Philippines’ 1st Marine Brigade and the U.S. Marine Special Operations Company “A” (MARSOC).

The training team was composed of Lt. Col. Maximo Balisteros, Operations Officer of the 1st Marine Brigade; Maj. Gregorio Hernandez, Operations & Training Officer of the 6th Marine Battalion; and Lt. Charlie Loya, 2nd Platoon Commander of the Alpha Company, Marine Special Operative Command, it said.

“An officer and 79 enlisted personnel from the Philippine Marines joined the training. From the US Marines, 1 officer and 24 enlisted personnel participated,” PIA said.

The exercise was dubbed Joint Expertise Exchange Training.

Colonel Ramiro Alivio, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, said the training provided enhanced capabilities of both Filipino and American soldiers in anti-terrorism warfare. (Mindanao Examiner News Service)

"Dirty Harry" Rejects Plans To Hold RP-US Anti-Terror Warfare In Davao

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. (Photo by CPJ.Org)

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 1 June) – A Southern Philippine mayor on Friday rejected government proposal for U.S. and Filipino troops to hold joint anti-terror training in the port city of Davao.

Rodrigo Duterte, the city’s mayor, said the training would put Davao on the list of possible terrorist target and warned that any attempt to pursue the plan could attract more attacks from anti-American militants and communist insurgents.

Duterte said he would not allow Davao City as venue of any war games between Filipino and American soldiers. He said a senior government official phoned him about the proposal to bring the training to Davao City.

"If troubles erupt, I will wash my hands," Duterte, known as the “Dirty Harry” of the Philippines, said.

Dirty Harry is a 1971 film directed by Don Siegel. Clint Eastwood played the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan.

Callahan's nickname, "Dirty Harry," is a reference to his reputation for taking on the "dirtiest" cases and resolving them even if it involves the violation of criminals' rights.

"The mere presence of U.S. soldiers is like a magnet for terrorists,” Duterte said. (Romy Bwaga)

RP, Australia To Sign Anti-Terror Training Accord

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 28 May) – The Philippines and Australia are to sign a bilateral agreement that would allow the two countries to hold joint anti-terror training exercises in country, Filipino security officials said.

Officials said the accord called Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) is aimed at enhancing military capabilities of both the Philippines and Australia in fighting terrorism and transnational crimes.

"This agreement contains key elements such as the basis of visits, entry and departure conditions, how training and exercises are to be conducted, carriage of arms, security and criminal jurisdiction, provisions, importation and exportation regulations and environmental protection," the Philippine Defense department said in a separate statement.

Once signed, the agreement would be submitted to the Philippine Senate for concurrence.
The Philippines is also working for a similar military cooperation with Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia.

Manila is currently holding joint anti-terrorism training with the United States. (Juley Reyes)

RP, US Hold Naval War Games Off Mindanao

U.S. troops during a joint anti-terror training in Jolo island in the Sulu Archipelago in southern Philippines. The Philippines and United States are to hold new naval training off the Sulu Archipelago in June. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 24 May) – Philippine and U.S. soldiers are to begin a joint naval exercise off the southern region of Mindanao, where Filipino security forces are hunting down members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group and Jemaah Islamiya.

Some 1,400 American and 600 Filipino troops are expected to join the training next week off the Sulu Archipelago, where fighting between military and Abu Sayyaf forces had been reported.

Filipino military officials said the training is part of an annual activity between the two countries, but this would be the first time that a naval exercise would be held in the south.Previous naval trainings were held in northern Philippines.

“We welcome this training as it will improve our combat capabilities and strengthen military bilateral relations between the Philippines and the United States,” a regional Filipino military spokesman, Major Eugene Batara, told the independent regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.

The training, Batara said, is designed to enhance the ability of soldiers to fight terrorism and other maritime functions from rescue to interception.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands of U.S. soldiers are currently stationed in the southern Philippines and helping the Philippine military defeat terrorism.

U.S. forces have trained Filipino troops the past years in the southern region in anti-terrorism warfare and provided intelligence about the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya.

A small fleet of EP-3 Orion spy planes are also deployed in the restive region. (Mindanao Examiner)

Joint RP-Australian Anti-Terror Training, Malabo Pa Rin!

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 04 Apr) - Bigo pa ring tuluyang maisara ang kasunduan o ang status of forces agreement (SOFA) sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at ng Australia, maging ng iba pang bansa sa Southeast Asian para sa magkasanib na pagsasanay-militar.

Nabatid ito ngayon kay Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. na aniya'y pinag-aaralan pa rin hanggang ngayon ang nasabing posibilidad.

Bago bumaba sa puwesto ang dating kalihim ng Tanggulang Pambansa na si Atty. Avelino Cruz, Jr., inihayag nito ang paglalagda ng SOFA bago matapos ang 2006.

"The agreements are still under review. We still have to come up with the final draft," katwiran ni Ebdane. Problema aniya ang legal na implikasyon ng nasabing kasunduan lalo pa't magkakaiba rin ang pananaw ng ibat-ibang bansa.

"What we see as violations may not be violations to them," dagdag ni Ebdane. Bukod sa Australia, nilalakad rin ang negosasyon ng military agreement sa Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia at Indonesia. (Juley Reyes)