No PHL-US exercise to coincide with Xi visit in November —DND

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday confirmed that there are no military exercises between the Philippines and the US next month in time for the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"Wala, kasi itong November, December hanggang I think January wala tayong exercise, zero 'yan, parang pahinga 'yan ng mga tropa e, so timing naman na wala tayong exercise, there is no exercise, kahit ground, air or water," Lorenzana said.

The US Embassy in Manila, on Thursday, said that there was no major US-Philippines joint exercise planned for November.

This came after presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that China expressed concern over  a military exercise that the United States will be conducting the same time that the Chinese President will be in the Philippines.

"Every time they (US) do that naman e, especially mag-port call dito 'yung papunta dun sa mga port natin... meron naman silang pasabi e, and we will ano, we will just tell them not to, 'wag lang i-timing dun sa visit," Lorenzana said. —Ted Cordero/NB, GMA News