US says there are no scheduled exercises with PHL in November

There are no military exercises scheduled between the Philippine and US forces next month, the US Embassy in Manila has said.

Embassy spokesperson Molly Koscina made the statement after presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Philippines will not participate in joint exercises with the US in November.

Roque at a news briefing said China had expressed concerns about the supposed joint exercises with the US that would coincide with Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Manila in November.

"There are no major US- Philippine military exercises planned for November," Koscina said.

"The US and the Philippines enjoy ongoing, close cooperation in areas central to our national and security interests, including counter-terrorism, maritime security, cyber security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and many others," she added.

Koscina, however, said that the US and the Philippines would continue to strengthen their relationship as "friends, partners, and allies."

"In September, during the annual Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board, the U.S. and the Philippines agreed on 281 security cooperation activities for 2019, up almost 10% from this year," Koscina said. 

Duterte-Zhao meeting

Roque declared the Philippines' non-participation a day after President Rodrigo Duterte's meeting with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua on Monday afternoon.

"China expressed concern over a naval... a military exercise that the United States will be conducting in the area at about the same time that the Chinese President will be in the Philippines," Roque said at a press briefing.

"The President said that we will not take part in that military exercise,” he added.

But military sources said there is no scheduled military exercise with the United States next month.

One source said the only activity lined up is the construction of school buildings in Palawan under USAID. The official said Philippine troops would be providing security "but it's not part of a military exercise."

Another official said there is no exercise in the South China Sea in November.

The last PHL-US military exercise this year, the Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma ng Dagat or KAMANDAG exercise, is set to end Wednesday. The drill involved 1,000 Filipino and American troops. —NB, GMA News