MANILA, Philippines - This year’s joint Philippines-United States Balikatan exercise ended yesterday with a US embassy official thanking the Philippine government for its support to the US in case a conflict in the Korean peninsula turns into a full-blown war.
Both Filipino and US military planners will be meeting again next month to lay down the roadmap for holding joint war exercises, a yearly drill sanctioned by the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the two countries.
“We remain with you. Not just for the annual exercise, but whenever our partnership is needed. As Secretary (Albert) Del Rosario (of the Department of Foreign Affairs) has stated at the opening of Balikatan, we know you would come to our aid as well,†US embassy deputy chief of missions Brian Goldbeck said.
Del Rosario, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, and US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. attended the opening of this year’s Balikatan but skipped yesterday’s closing ceremonies.
At the opening of the joint war games, Del Rosario declared that the Philippine government under the MDT is obliged to help the US if it is attacked by North Korea. – Aurea Calica, Jaime Laude