RP-US Talon Vision war games begin

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — Some 500 US marines who recently arrived in the Philippines will be participating in joint training with Filipino troops amid intense security because of the threat of terrorist attack, the US military said yesterday.

The US troops will be restricted to camp because of the potential threat from Muslim militants linked to the al-Qaeda network and local communist insurgents, said Col. Steven Busby, co-director of the two-week maneuvers.

The US marines were here for training and there will be "no liberty" for them during their stay in the country, Busby told reporters after the opening ceremonies yesterday at the Officers Club, Air Force City here.

The American troops, belonging to the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Forces, arrived last Thursday at the Subic naval base.

Senior Superintendent Jimmy Restua, Angeles City police director, said American troops participating in the joint training were ordered Saturday to cut short their recreation at the city’s tourist belt.

He has ordered Chief Inspector Efren Miranda, Station 4 chief, to search for US military personnel in bars and ask them to return to the Clark Special Economic Zone, where they are billeted in hotels.

Restua said he ordered the recall because the US Embassy in Manila informed him that US military personnel are not supposed to go out of Clark air base, where they are stationed for the duration of the joint training.

The 15-day exercises called Talon Vision involving the Americans and about 900 Filipino soldiers will see both forces training at the air base here, at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija and at a marine base in Ternate, Cavite.

Most of the Philippine participants belong to the Army and a number of them are with the 710th Special Operations Wing of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

"As with every military operation, there is an element of danger. However, force protection is our No. 1 priority, so US military members are required to take safety precautions," said US marine spokesman Capt. Burell Parmer.

"However we are confident in the security arrangements being made between the Philippine and US armed forces," he said.

The US forces will use 20 military aircraft, mostly modern combat helicopters, in their training with local forces, Busby said.

Parmer said the training would not focus on counter-terrorism but stressed that it will boost the capabilities of Filipino forces who are battling communist and Muslim separatist guerrillas.

Among the local security concerns are Muslim rebels who are believed to have ties with the al-Qaeda terror network and the Jemaah Islamiyah group.

Parmer said the exercise is "vital to maintain readiness for the armed forces of both the US and the Philippines. The Philippines offers good training opportunities."

Col. Flaviano Valduheza of the PAF, the co-director of the exercise, said that US and Filipino troops will be sharing tactics, techniques, and procedures and will jointly operate US and Philippine military aircraft and equipment.

PAF Maj. Allan Ballesteros, Talon Vision’s public information officer, said the joint training also includes humanitarian assistance to local communities as one of its major components.

He said the US and Philippine soldiers will also conduct more assistance projects such as constructing additional classrooms and basketball courts during the exercise. — AFP, Ric Sapnu