28 RP-US WAR GAMES SET IN 2005 /
RP READY TO SUPPORT NEW GOVT OF IRAQ
[PHOTO
AT LEFT - BALANCE PISTON: US troops joining the latest RP-US military
exercises disembark from two US military planes that landed in Air Force City at
Clark Field in Pampanga yesterday. - Photo By VAL RODRIGUEZ ]
MANILA, February 4, 2005 (STAR) Anti-terror allies the Philippines and the United States are to undertake 28 joint military exercises this year, a Philippine military spokesman said yesterday.
Twenty exercises would be combined maneuvers while the rest would focus on counter-narcotics and training for light reaction units, Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual said. Two exercises were already in progress, one in the northern Philippines and one in Davao City for counter-narcotics training, he said. Both are set to end on Feb. 18.
Capt. Dennis Williams, US Pacific Command liaison officer to Manila, said the scheduled exercises were subject to availability of resources from both countries. Officials had earlier said that US relief operations in tsunami-hit countries in Asia could affect scheduled military exercises in the Philippines.
"Last year, a few planned exercises were canceled due to... limits on available resources resulting from the Middle East operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations," Williams said.
The Philippines is a staunch ally of the US-led war on terrorism. Small groups of US forces have been training Filipino soldiers against al-Qaeda-linked militants in Mindanao since 2001. — AFP
RP ready to support new gov’t in Iraq By Marichu Villanueva The Philippine Star 02/04/2005
The Philippines is ready and willing to support the newly installed democratic government of Iraq, officials said yesterday.
"Definitely, whatever the new officials of the new democratic government in Iraq will ask will be evaluated and we would react in accordance with our own tenets of democracy and what exists within our capability," Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said yesterday. Ermita’s statement came after the United States Embassy in Manila urged the Arroyo administration to decide on its role in Iraq under a new democratic regime. US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone said yesterday the Philippines has to consider what role it will play in Iraq after democratic elections were held in the war-torn country last Jan. 30. President Arroyo had distanced herself from Iraq following her administration’s decision to withdraw peacekeeping forces last year.
The Philippines was criticized by the US and its allies for withdrawing its 51-strong peacekeeping forces from Iraq in an effort to save the life of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz who was kidnapped by insurgents in July last year. "The Philippines has to decide for itself its future with Iraq and its responsibilities as a member of the community of democracies and what your national interests are," Ricciardone said.
The US ambassador made the statement following the State of the Union Address of US President George W. Bush. Mr. Bush emphasized that the US will stand by the people of Iraq until the new Iraqi government is capable enough to maintain peace and order and exercise control over insurgents.
"We will not be cowed by intimidations made by car bombers. Our response is not to cave in to them. Filipinos will decide on what you think is right, too," Ricciardone said. Ermita pointed out the Philippines will definitely support the new democratic government in Iraq. "We’re always for freedom and democracy. So we hope the elections there really were credible as the first major step towards full democracy," he said.
Earlier, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said he did not know whether Mrs. Arroyo planned to deploy a new team of humanitarian and peacekeeping forces to help in the continuing US-led post-war reconstruction of Iraq. "Again this is something not considered at this particular period," Bunye told Palace reporters, declining at the same time to comment if the Philippines was still part of the so-called "coalition of the willing."
Following the successful release of De la Cruz, the Philippine government imposed an immediate travel ban on its workers to Iraq. Yet hundreds of workers defied the ban and continue to seek employment in war-torn Baghdad. Another Filipino worker, Robert Tarongoy, has been held captive by insurgents since Nov. 1, along with American Roy Hallums. In previous statements, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo noted there are more than 6,000 Filipinos working as cooks, utility workers and handymen in the various US military camps inside Iraq.
De la Cruz was delivering supplies to one of the US camps from Kuwait when he was kidnapped by Iraqi militants who threatened to behead him if Filipino peacekeepers were not pulled out. Romulo said the presence of Filipinos inside the US camps in Iraq already represents the current contribution of the Philippines to the US-led coalition. Romulo said the Philippine government might revisit the deployment ban following the holding of elections in Iraq last Jan. 30.
"Last August, after the terrible (De la Cruz) hostage affair, President Mrs. Arroyo made clear that she was going to permit the Filipino workers to stay in Iraq and make their very important contribution although she has discouraged more workers from going there," Ricciardone said. "You have to decide what is right for you. You’ve got a democracy. Your government responds to what your people want," he added.
Ricciardone cited the statement of Mr. Bush on the need for the international community to stand together in the fight against terrorism while continuing its support to its allies. "Your government has relations with the new government in Iraq. You helped bring it about when you were president of the UNSC (United Nations Security Council)," Ricciardone noted.
"You need to decide what kind of relationship you want to have with Iraq – how you want Iraqis to remember Filipinos and the Philippines in the future," he said. The American envoy also urged the Philippine government to stand firm against pressure from terrorists who abduct its nationals, as with the cases of De la Cruz and Tarongoy. Ricciardone explained that it is US government policy not to negotiate with terrorists even in the face of threats against its citizens.
"No hostage taker will benefit from taking an American. That is our policy and we hope your policy is that no hostage taker will benefit from taking a Filipino," Ricciardone said.
"I think it is important to hold the line together and support each other and make very clear that neither of our countries will grant concessions," he said.