US destroyer to arrive in Manila tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines - The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) will arrive in Manila tomorrow for a routine port call.

The US embassy said yesterday that the USS Pinckney visit highlights the strong historic, community and military connections between the United States and the Philippines.

The visit will allow the ship to replenish supplies and give the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation.

The ship is commanded by Cdr. Frank Okata and crewed by approximately 300 sailors of whom about 10 are Filipino-American.

The Pinckney, part of the US Pacific Fleet, has San Diego, California as home port. It is named after Cook First Class William Pinckney, who received the Navy Cross for his courageous rescue of a fellow crewmember on board the USS Enterprise during World War II.

Meanwhile, the fifth round of talks on the increased rotational presence of American troops in the country ended last week with officials claiming that a “common understanding on key issues” has been achieved.

But the government, which vowed to be transparent on the negotiations, did not provide specific details in the statement it issued to the media yesterday.

The statement merely contained generalities that negotiators have been talking about since the talks started last August.

“The Philippines and the United States negotiating panels reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing their cooperation in the security and related fields, particularly in humanitarian assistance and disaster response,” it read.

The statement also reiterated that the agreement must be guided by international legal instruments like the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement, and consistent with the Constitution and existing laws.

Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino, chairman of the Philippine negotiating panel, described the negotiations as “candid yet friendly.”

He said the key fundamental principles on Philippine sovereignty and interests were “fully articulated and amplified.”

The Philippines and the US have adopted the policy on increased rotational presence amid efforts by China to strengthen its presence in the West Philippine Sea.

The agreement with the US was supposed to enable the Philippines to achieve a “minimum credible defense.”  – With Alexis Romero