2 Aussie ships arrive today for war games

Two Australian Navy ships are scheduled to arrive in the country today for a weeklong joint training with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard.

Dubbed Maritime Training Activity "Lumbas," the exercise will involve the HMAS Newcastle and HMAS Darwin and ships from the Navy and the Coast Guard to strengthen defense ties between the two countries.

In a statement, the Philippine Navy said the Australian Customs Service (ACS) would also take part in mostly shore-based training in Manila.

There would also be ship maneuvering drills off the coast of Boracay Island in the Visayas, the statement added.

The Philippine navy ships BRP Gen. Mariano Alvarez, BRP Artemio Ricarte and personnel from the Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) and the Coast Guard’s SAR 001 and an aircraft would participate in MTA Lumbas 2006.

Commander Giovanni Bacordo, Navy spokesman, said Lumbas will not be a full-blown joint military exercise because the Status of Forces Agreement between the Philippines and Australia has not yet been ratified.

"In the absence of the SOFA, the training would be limited," he said. "There wouldn’t be forces on the ground, there wouldn’t be firing of ship guns because the guidelines for the conduct of full-blown exercises."

Bacordo said most of the shore-based training would include communications drills, as well as mock boarding and search of ships.

The Philippines reportedly removed some provisions in Australia’s counter-draft of the SOFA, which could lead eventually into a "basing" agreement.

It also purportedly took out a provision for criminal jurisdiction. These were reportedly placed in the annexes of the counter-draft. — James Mananghaya