ZAMBOANGA CITY, 13 January 2008 — Philippine and US troops are to begin a new joint military training in the southern province of Sulu, where troops are fighting the militants linked to the Al-Qaeda.
“We are now preparing for the Balikatan 2008 and it would probably start in March,” Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael, commander of the Philippine anti-terror Task Force Comet in Sulu, told Arab News.
Balikatan, which means “shoulder-to-shoulder,” is the codename of the joint anti-terror drill held each year since 2001.
Rafael did not say how many troops, aircrafts and vessels, would be involved in the training. American military and embassy officials did not give any statement about the training.
US Rep. Adam Smith from Washington state is in the Philippines last week to meet with senior officials and review US assistance programs.
Smith serves on the House Committee on Armed Services, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Warfare and Capabilities.
He also serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
It was unknown if Smith would visit hundreds of US troops deployed in Zamboanga and Sulu. A similar training was also held in Sulu in 2006 and since then US troops remain on the province, about 950 kilometers south of Manila.
US officials have said the Balikatan demonstrates Washington’s resolve to continue the commitment to train, advice and assist the Philippine military to build capacity to counter terrorism.
It is also meant enhance the skills and capabilities of Filipino and American forces in combating terrorism and other internal and external security threats and improve inter-operability between RP and US forces through the exchange of training skills and techniques.
But a recent scandal involving American soldiers in Sulu province has sparked new protests and anti-US sentiments from Muslim villagers and political activists. US troops in Sulu ordered last month a hospital in Panamao town to close every night and prevented medical personnel from treating patients after sundown.
Dr. Silak Lakkian, head of the hospital, has complained about how US troops meddled into their operations.
US soldiers also threatened to shoot anybody in the hospital incase there is an attack by terrorists.
The meddling of US troops in local affairs drew widespread criticism and protests from provincial leaders and triggered calls from political activists in Manila for Congress and Senate to hold an investigation into the incident.
The US military has denied all accusations and blamed the local media for the bad publicity.
