MANILA: This year’s joint Philippines-United States Balikatan exercise ended 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 road map for holding joint war exercises, a yearly drill sanctioned by the 1951 Mutual Defence 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, Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, and US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr attended the opening of this year’s Balikatan but skipped closing ceremonies.
THE PHILIPPINE STAR
