MANILA: The panel tasked to negotiate with the United States regarding the plan to increase rotational presence of American troops in the country is pushing for joint activities that would boost maritime security and disaster response capabilities.
Panel member Defence Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino said maritime domain awareness and disaster and humanitarian relief are among the key areas that they would like to prioritise.
“There should be focus on high-impact, high-value exercises and activities that will focus on maritime security, maritime domain awareness and our perennial problem with disasters,” Batino said in a statement yesterday. The panel ruled out any joint combat exercise that would involve American forces in efforts aimed at curbing local insurgency. “In one case, the Supreme Court already placed limitations in the operations of the US in the Philippines and we are strictly abiding with the doctrine enunciated in that case,” Batino said.
While the Philippine and US panels have yet to finalize the activities to be covered by the deal, Batino said they want an agreement that would beef up the military’s security and disaster response efforts.
The Philippines and the US have adopted a policy of increased rotational presence amid the growing aggressive actions of China in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippine star
