RP eyes future trilateral exercises with Australian and American forces

By Ronron
June 27, 2007

The Philippine military is eyeing holding trilateral exercises with Australian and American forces in the future as the ratification of the RP-Australian Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) is expected in a few months.

In a joint press conference Wednesday at Camp Aguinaldo with visiting US Pacific Command chief Admiral Timothy Keating, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. said: “We expect that there will be an expansion from bilateral activities to multilateral, where it is legally permissible. We will do it as addressing security threats could not be limited to bilateral arrangements.”

Keating and Esperon led a meeting of the RP-US Mutual Defense Board (MDB) and Security Engagement Board (SEB) at Camp Aguinaldo where a five-year plan of activities, including military exercises and civil-military actions, were laid out.

The MDB seeks to address the traditional threats to security such as terrorism, while the SEB is about the non-traditional threats, such as disaster-relief and international crime syndicates.

In May, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Australian Prime Minister John Howard signed the SOVFA, which allows the entry of Australian forces in the Philippines and vice versa for the conduct of training exercises. The agreement, however, takes effect only once the Philippine Congress and Australia’s Executive body ratify it.

The RP-US MDB, in particular, laid out the following activities for next year: Balikatan, Talon Vision, Amphibious Landing Exercises, and Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), while the SEB includes the Kapit-Bisig civil-military operations (CMO), which is actually ongoing now in Jolo, Sulu, said Esperon.

Under the MDB are command post exercises, field training exercises, and subject-matter/expert exchanges.

“What we have drawn up now is what we will have for the next five years in terms of reaffirming our commitments to the Mutual Defense Treaty, and they are mutually agreed upon programs,” Esperon said.

Keating said the activities would be opportunities for the US military to share its capabilities like off-shore operations, and intelligence gathering methods and systems.

“They (AFP) will have that support from the United States Pacific Command. That was our pledge to Gen. Esperon and we will reinforce that,” Keating said.

Among the equipments they have promised to provide are those that will help the AFP troops in conducting operations at night. Keating did not elaborate, however.

The US military, Esperon said, is also currently providing assistance to the Philippine Defense Reform Program (PDRP), which aims to modernize the AFP.

“All those we hope and we expect to contribute towards mission accomplishment, better training, better intelligence, better operations, and better results in our operations,” Esperon said.

Asked if the US intends to add more troops in the Philippines with these planned activities, Keating said: “We did not discuss or include increased US military presence in the Philippines. We at the Pacific Command, and I know, the United States policy very much understand and respect the Philippine sovereignty. And so, we understand our role to provide support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines… There are no plans to increase troop strength in the Philippines.”

Keating, meanwhile, expressed appreciation to the efforts of Philippine troops in the southern island province of Sulu, fighting out with Abu Sayyaf Group and Jeemah Islamiyah elements.

In his visit to the jungles of Patikul town last Tuesday, Keating said he met Filipino soldiers who have engaged and are preparing to engage with terrorists in the island.

“I came away very, very impressed and confident of the efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines down there, and we’re confident they are making progress,” he shared.

“Another point. As we’re driving in our armored vehicles from the airfield up to the combat area, little children were along the side who are waving at Gen. Esperon and the Philippine Marines. That was a very good sign… We enjoy the support of the residents and we think that is a terrific step, significant progress,” he added.

The government troops are currently tracking down the remnants of the ASG and JI, including wanted Bali bombers Dulmatin and Omar Patek, in Sulu following the successful neutralization in September last year of the ASG leader, Khadaffy Janjalani, and in January this year of second-ranking leader, Jainal Antel Sali, alias Abu Solaiman.

“I know we’re making significant efforts to improve security with our Armed Forces of the Philippines partners, our allies. Our goal is to make the Philippines, the entire world safer for our children and grandchildren. And that means, capturing or killing the JI. That’s our mission,” said Keating.

Esperon said that with the upcoming ratification of SOVFA, addressing terrorism would be easier if a trilateral effort with Australia and US is carried out by the Philippines.

“There are benefits in working together at the same time with other countries because that saves us time and resources. So, in the region, we see a lot of multilateral activities, trainings, exchanges of information, and we don’t see any reason why we could not go to that direction,” he said.

Despite the absence of SOVFA, Australia has been extending help to the Philippines by sending bomb experts, training Filipino authorities on the matter and sponsoring trainings and seminars in their homeland.

Australia has taken active role in the US-led global war on terror after many of its citizens fell victims to a number of terror attacks, most prominent of which was the bombing in Bali, Indonesia.

Keating, meanwhile, is expected to end his three-day visit in the country today (Thursday)./DMS