Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Military eyeing counterterror drills with US, Australian troops (6:20 p.m.)
MANILA -- The Philippine military is looking at the possibility of organizing joint war drills with US and Australian troops to bolster the regional battle against terror groups, a military official said Wednesday.
The Philippines holds several military exercises each year with the United States, its longtime ally, under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and two other security accords.
Last month, it signed a Status of Forces Agreement with Australia that would allow large-scale exercises with Australian troops.
The pact has to be ratified by the Philippine Senate before it can take effect. The Constitution prohibits foreign troops in the country unless their presence is covered by a treaty. Foreign troops are also barred from engaging in local combat.
Military chief General Hermogenes Esperon said a study was under way whether the bilateral security accords could allow Philippine, US, and Australian troops to collectively engage in exercises.
"We have started to look at that," Esperon told a news conference. "We expect that there will be an expansion from bilateral activities to multilateral where it is legally permissible." (AP)
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