US Forces Help Philippine Authorities Investigate Bombings In Troubled South

A U.S. soldier inspects a commuter bus bombed Friday, 15 June 2007, in the southern Philippine city of Cotabato. Another bus bombing in the town of Bansalan in Davao del Sur province has killed at least 9 people and wounded seven more. Western embassies banned their citizens from traveling to the southern Philippines because of extreme threats of terrorism and kidnappings of foreigners.

(Mindanao Examiner Photo Service/Mark Navales)

COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 16 Jun) – U.S. explosives experts are helping Filipino authorities investigate the spate of bombings that hit the southern region of Mindanao.

At least 9 people were killed and seven others injured in a bomb attack on a commuter bus in Bansalan town in Davao del Sur province on Friday night. Another bus was also bombed in Cotabato City in Maguindanao province, but authorities reported no casualties.

An unidentified U.S. soldier was spotted inside the bombed bus in Cotabato City sifting through debris with local army and police bomb experts.

The American soldier did not speak to reporters, but a regional Filipino military spokesman said the U.S. forces were only helping local authorities investigate what type of bomb was used in the attack.

“They are only us assisting local military and police bomb experts in the investigations,” Lt. Col. Julieto Ando told the regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.

On Tuesday, police foiled a possible car bombing after a car, laden with explosives, was discovered abandoned near the municipal hall of Surallah in South Cotabato province.

U.S. forces are currently deployed in the southern Philippines as part of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, which is helping the Filipino military defeat terrorism.

American troops are also involved in many humanitarian missions in an effort to win the hearts and minds of the Muslims in the troubled region, where local security forces are battling members of the al-Qaeda-linked the militant Abu Sayyaf group and Jemaah Islamiya.

The United States last week delivered ten UH-1H helicopters to Manila as part of a commitment to assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization program.

The refurbished helicopters, part of 20 aircrafts promised by President George Bush, will be used by the Philippine Air Force to supplement its modernization program and increase its capabilities to combat terrorism and provide humanitarian assistance during natural disasters.

The U.S. military provides training, advice, and security assistance, and shares intelligence information with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Just last week, both countries finished a weeklong joint amphibious training off the southern Sulu Archipelago.

The United States, Canada and Britain have issued travel warnings and strongly advised their citizens not to travel to the southern part of the Philippines because of threats of terrorism and kidnappings of foreigners. (Mark Navales)

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)

U.S. Marines Commended In Southern Philippines

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Three Marines with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division were among 10 service members awarded certificates of commendation by top officials with the Philippine National Police in Zamboanga City.

Staff Sgt. Derrick Cordova, Cpl. Adam Toussaint and Cpl. Timothy Anderson, all currently assigned to Joint Special Operation Task Force-Philippines, were recently recognized for their volunteer work with the 9th Regional Special Training Unit, Philippine National Police, said a U.S. military statement.

The Marines helped conduct several subject matter expert exchanges with the unit in recent months.

During the exchanges, the group taught map reading, compass orientation, tactical combat casualty care and combat marksmanship to more than 400 Philippine National Police cadets.

The intent of conducting the exchanges with the police cadets was to familiarize the police force with military tactics similar to what the Armed Forces of the Philippines use, said U.S. Army Capt. Mike E. Cerniauskas, the Philippine National Police Task Force-Zamboanga action officer with JSOTF-P.

"JSOTF-P is here to help the challenges the Philippine government and security forces face," said Cerniauskas, who headed up the exchanges. "The (Philippine National Police) are being directed by an executive order to actively support the (Armed Forces of the Philippines) in counter insurgency. We're trying to help them work better together."

Cerniauskas, an Army National Guard soldier who serves with the 19th Special Forces Group and is a police officer in Seattle, said it is important for the two organizations to work together.

"The (Philippine National Police) doesn't have the arms the military here has, but they are dispersed more around the areas in which they both serve," he said.

Philippine Col. Jose Bayani C. Gucela, the training manager with 9th Regional Special Training Unit, said the academy's course criteria is primarily focused toward police tactics, but their new role in national security makes it important to cross train with military organizations.

"We obviously have our own training, but we realize these exchanges can help us counter insurgency, communicate better with the Philippine and U.S. militaries and ultimately win the war on terror in our country," Gucela said.

Toussaint, with 4th Marines, who serves as a Marine Security Element team leader, said that while his job is tiring, he does not mind using his time off to train with the cadets.

"We will train with these guys as much as we can while we are here in the Philippines," he said. "If it takes us losing sleep, we don't care because we know we are making a difference for them."

600 US Troops On Goodwill Visit To RP

Photo of USS Juneau, an amphibious transport dock ship under Task Force 76, the US Navy’s only forwarded-deployed amphibious force and is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa.

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 22 Feb) – Some 600 US sailors and marine soldiers are to participate in a humanitarian mission in Zambales province as part of goodwill visit of the USS Juneau (LPD 10).

The ship, carrying members of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), will arrive Friday at the Subic Bay Free Port, said US military public affairs officer, Marine Capt. Burrell Parmer.

Juneau will be at full dress ship with sailors and marines manning the rails, he said.Palmer said the soldiers will participate in free medical and dental clinics to benefit the Filipinos.

“Community service projects will also be conducted during the visit to include the deliver of Project Handclasp materials and donated items from U.S Marine and Navy family members in Okinawa, Japan,” Palmer said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

The ship’s visit, Palmer said, is being made possible by the cooperation of the US Navy’s 7th Fleet and the American embassy in Manila.Palmer said local school children will be given a tour of the USS Juneau to include a static display of the equipment by the 31st MEU.

He said the USS Juneau is an amphibious transport dock ship under Task Force 76, the US Navy’s only forwarded-deployed amphibious force and is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa.

The 31st MEU serves under III Marine Expeditionary Force also in Okinawa and is the U.S. Marine Corps’s only permanent forward-deployment Marine expeditionary unit, Palmer said. (Mindanao Examiner)

U.S. Investigates Death Of Marine In Jolo Island

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 19 Feb) – The U.S. military on Monday said it is investigating the death of an American soldier participating in joint anti-terror training in Jolo island, about 950 km south of Manila.

U.S. military officials did not identify the soldier, but later released his name as Cpl. Timothy Lewis. He suffered a heat stroke and eventually died from cardiac arrest on Thursday.

It was the first reported death of a U.S. soldier participating in this year’s joint military drill.

“At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 15, a U.S. service member died at Camp Bautista after going into cardiac arrest. The service member had been initially treated at another location on Jolo island before being transported to Camp Bautista.”

"Medical personnel provided advanced cardiac life support measures before the servicemember was pronounced dead. An investigation of the death is being conducted, and more information will be released as it becomes available."

"We want to emphasize that this death was in no way related to combat," U.S. Air Force Major John Redfield, spokesman of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, told the Mindanao Examiner.

The soldier was part of a contingent from the Okinawa-based 3rd Marine Expeditionary Forces.

In February 2002, a U.S. MH-47 Chinook helicopter with eight American crew and two soldiers on board crashed during a night flight in the Bohol Strait in central Philippines. There were no survivors.

The American troops were taking part in an anti-terror exercise with Filipino soldiers. The helicopter was on a routine transit from the southern island of Basilan to the island of Mactan where the U.S. maintains a logistics air base.

Eight months later, a U.S. soldier was also killed after an Abu Sayyaf bomb exploded on a roadside restaurant outside a Philippine Army base in Malagutay village in Zamboanga City.

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino troops began a three-week joint military drills, dubbed as Balikatan 2007, aimed at enhancing combat capabilities of soldiers. And this would be followed with similar anti-terror trainings in Tawi-Tawi island near the Sabah border and continued in central Mindanao island.

Filipino troops are battling Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya militants on Jolo island, about 950 km south of Manila.

The Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya groups are blamed for the string of bombings in the Philippines and Indonesia that had already killed scores of people the past years.

U.S. and Philippine troops would also embark on humanitarian missions, that included infrastructure projects and medical outreach in poor Muslim areas in during the exercises. (Mindanao Examiner)

U.S. Anti-Terror Soldier Dies In Jolo Island

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 19 Feb) – A U.S. soldier participating in a joint anti-terror drill died from cardiac arrest in the southern Philippine island of Jolo, officials said Monday.

Officials said the soldier, who was part of the Okinawa-based 3rd Marine Expeditionary Forces, died Thursday.

U.S. military officials did not identify the soldier, but said he suffered a heat stroke and eventually died from cardiac arrest. It was the first reported death of a U.S. soldier participating in this year’s joint military drill.

“It was cardiac arrest,” U.S. Air Force Major John Redfield, spokesman of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, told the Mindanao Examiner on Monday.

In February 2002, a U.S. MH-47 Chinook helicopter with eight American crew and two soldiers on board crashed during a night flight in the Bohol Strait in central Philippines. There were no survivors.

The American troops were taking part in an anti-terror exercise with Filipino soldiers. The helicopter was on a routine transit from the southern island of Basilan to the island of Mactan where the U.S. maintains a logistics air base.

Eight months later, a U.S. soldier was also killed after an Abu Sayyaf bomb exploded on a roadside restaurant outside a Philippine Army base in Malagutay village in Zamboanga City.

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino troops began a three-week joint military drills, dubbed as Balikatan 2007, aimed at enhancing combat capabilities of soldiers. And this would be followed with similar anti-terror trainings in Tawi-Tawi island near the Sabah border and continued in central Mindanao island.

Filipino troops are battling Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya militants on Jolo island, about 950 km south of Manila.

The Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya groups are blamed for the string of bombings in the Philippines and Indonesia that had already killed scores of people the past years.

U.S. and Philippine troops would also embark on humanitarian missions, that included infrastructure projects and medical outreach in poor Muslim areas in during the exercises. (Mindanao Examiner)

Operation Goodwill Delivery Benefits Poor Filipinos

Click photo to play video clip

A U.S. combat chopper flies near a U.S. C130 cargo plane Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007 in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. The cargo plane came from Okinawa in Japan to bring tons of goodwill items donated by U.S. Marines and their families in Okinawa as part of the Operation Goodwill and will be distributed to poor communities in the Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 20 Jan) – A U.S. C130 transport plane arrived in the southern Philippine port city of Zamboanga, bringing tons of goodwill items from Okinawa, Japan.

A U.S. military spokesman Major John Redfield said the cargoes include clothes, food, health care items and sporting goods were donated by the Okinawa-based U.S. Marines and their families as part of the four-year old “Operation Goodwill Delivery”.

“Operation Goodwill Delivery is an annual mission by U.S. Marines and their families in Okinawa designed to say thank you to the people of the Philippines for welcoming the Marines during bilateral exercises,” Redfield told the Mindanao Examiner.

He said the U.S. Marine Corps, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines teamed up in Zamboanga City to as part of Operation Goodwill Delivery in which goods will be donated to the Pasobolong Elementary School and the Reception and Study Center for Children in Talon-Talon village.

He said the cargoes were the second portion of Operation Goodwill Delivery. Last month, U.S. Marines made several deliveries in the northern Philippines. They brought about 22,000 pounds of toys, clothes, sporting goods, health care items, and donated P400,000 to organizations and communities in northern Luzon, Manila, and Palawan. (Mindanao Examiner)

Kenney Leads U.S. Troops In Gift-Giving In RP's Poor

Brig. Gen. Medina (2nd from left) and Ambassador Kenney (center) pose with U.S. Marines and children at Our Lady of Peace Mission in Paranaque City.

MANILA - Ambassador Kristie Kenney led U.S. Marines in distributing gifts to poor Filipino children at the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission in Paranaque City.

U.S. Marines have been distributing more than 22,000 pounds of food, clothing, health care items, sporting goods and toys, as well as more than 400,000 pesos, to communities and organizations in Northern Luzon, Manila, and Palawan during the first part of "Operation Goodwill Delivery".

Members of the Japan-based 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and their families provided all donated funds and items for hundreds of Filipino children in need and the institutions that care for them, an embassy statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner said.

The soldiers have visited the Philippines for joint military training and exercises.

The Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission provides support for nearly 600 children, most of whom live on the streets or in shelters around Metro Manila.

At today’s event, U.S. Marines served a holiday meal to the malnourished children the foundation assists while U.S. and Filipino Marines played Christmas music and soldiers dressed as Santa Claus handed out candies.

Kenney distributed toys and gifts and visited children in the hospital. Brigadier General Joseph Medina, commander of the U.S. Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, also attended and helped serve the luncheon meal.

The U.S. Marines created “Operation Goodwill” in 2003 to show appreciation to the children and families of the Philippines for welcoming them during annual bilateral exercises. Each year, the U.S. Marines volunteer with their families to gather donations from colleagues in Okinawa and then deliver the toys and supplies to Filipino children over the holiday season.

This month, the soldiers have visited different areas in the Philippines and donated to Philippine charitable organizations and communities. In Puerto Princessa City in Palawan island, U.S. Marines gave toys and supplies to military and community families living near Antonio Bautista Air Base.

In Angeles City in Pampanga province, U.S. Marines also donated both money and goodwill items to Duyan Ni Maria (Mary’s Cradle Orphanage). They also delivered toys and supplies to the Aeta Resettlement and Rehabilitation Center and in Basco island in northern Philippines, the U.S. Marines delivered 2,200 pounds of food, healthcare items, clothes, sporting goods and toys. In Manila, they donated P157,000 to the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission, Inc., to assist in charitable works.

The Marines will return in mid-January for the second part of the operation, during which they will deliver goodwill items to communities and organizations in Zamboanga, Negros, and Leyte.

U.S. Troops Distribute Gifts To Pinoy In Remote RP Island

BASCO ISLAND - After two failed attempts to land over the past two months due to weather, a small group of U.S. Marines from Okinawa, Japan, with a large payload made a short side trip to the Philippine island of Basco with about 2,200 pounds of food, health care items, clothes, sporting goods and toys.

"The third time's a charm," Marine Colonel Gary Shaw, deputy wing commander of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Okinawa, said in a statement Saturday."We always refuel our helicopters here on the way to bilateral exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the people of Basco always welcome us. We really wanted to get in here and thank them again this year," he said.

The U.S. Marines were on their way to Luzon province as part of the annual "Operation Goodwill Delivery" with more than 20,000 pounds of goodwill items and about 400,000 Philippine pesos ($8,000 U.S.) destined for communities and charitable organizations in Palawan and Northern Luzon up to Tuesday next week.

The Marines are planning a second half of Operation Goodwill Delivery in mid-January to communities and organizations in Zamboanga, Negros and Leyte.

The U.S. Marines, service members, and their families in Okinawa created this program in 2003 to show appreciation to the children and families of the Philippines for welcoming U.S. Marines during annual bilateral exercises.

The U.S. Marines work each year with their families to gather donations and then deliver toys and supplies to Filipino children over the holiday season.

About two hundred local Filipinos, including town leaders, gathered at Basco's airport to greet the Marines and Santa, who was immediately engulfed by about 30 children as he handed out candy.

RP Court Junks Appeal Of Convicted U.S. Marine

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 13 Dec) – A Filipino court on Wednesday denied a petition of convicted U.S. Marine Daniel Smith to be in custody of U.S. authorities.

Smith was found guilty December 4 of raping a Filipina last year at the Subic Bay Freeport in Olongapo City. Judge Benjamin Pozon, of the Makati Regional Trial Court, denied the petition, saying, it lack merit.

Smith, who was sentenced to 40 years in prison, remains at the Makati City Jail. The U.S. Embassy said the decision of the court reflects a misunderstanding of the nature of Philippine obligations under the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) during judicial proceedings.

The Visiting Forces Agreement is an international bilateral agreement that is binding on both the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. An appeal is being filed in the appropriate court seeking to return Smith to U.S. military custody at the U.S. Embassy.

The U.S. Embassy, in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner, quoted Article V, Paragraph 6 of the Visiting Forces Agreement that specifies: ”The custody of any United States personnel over whom the Philippines is to exercise jurisdiction shall immediately reside with United States military authorities, if they so request, from the commission of the offense until completion of all judicial proceedings.”

It said Smith is not a private citizen, and therefore the handling of his case is subject to the terms of the VFA. “Continued U.S.-Philippines military cooperation relies upon adherence to the VFA, which provides a clear framework for the legal status of visiting U.S. service members,” the statement read.

The Departments of Justice and the Foreign Affairs said the U.S. should retain custody of Smith until the end of judicial proceedings. “The U.S. is committed to upholding the VFA, and we will continue to work with the Philippine government to help bring it into compliance with its obligations under that agreement,” the embassy said. (Mindanao Examiner)

US Marines Rescue 4 Filipino Fishermen Off Palawan Island In Central RP

US Marines on two rubber boats head to a Philippine military base in the southern port city of Zamboanga on Friday 20 Oct 2006 bringing with them four Filipino fishermen -- brothers Jimmy, Giovani and Raymond Degracia and Andrew Sumandal, all from the town of Puyo in Palawan island -- they rescued after 3 days at sea from a sinking boat off Palawan island in central RP. (Mindanao Examiner/Photos by Darwin Wee and Uly Israel)

(Mindanao Examiner MP4)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Darwin Wee / 20 Oct) - Four Filipino fishermen whose boat capsized were rescued after 3 days at sea by US Marines taking part in a humanitarian mission in the southern Philippines, a US Marine said Friday.

The four arrived Friday onboard two military rubber boats at a naval base in Zamboanga City a day after they were spotted by a US helicopter off Palawan island in the central Philippines.

The Philippine military identified the fishermen as brothers Jimmy, Giovani and Raymond Degracia and Andrew Sumandal, all from the town of Puyo in Palawan island.

Filipino military doctors examined the fishermen and gave them food before they hand them over to a local social action center.

"They were rescued after three days at sea and we gave them food and water," said Cpl. David Few, of the US Marines, told the Mindanao Examiner.

One of the fisherman said huge waves battered their boat on Monday and capsized and later broke in two.

"We were drifted into the open sea and for three days we only drank sea water until we saw a big helicopter in the sky. Later, US soldiers on rubber boats arrived and rescued us," Jimmy Degracia said in a separate interview.

"We owe our lives to the US Marines and we will never forget this day," said Andrew Sumandal.

The US soldiers, led by Lt. James Santymire, were part of the HSV Swift a high speed transport vessel, taking part in humanitarian mission in the Philippines. (With a report from Uly Israel)