US Typhon missile system's stay in PH may be extended —PH Army

A US mid-range missile system may extend its deployment in the Philippines beyond September, Philippine Army spokesperson Colonel Louie Dema-ala said on Monday.

Dema-ala said the possible extension of deployment of the Typhon missile system in the country would depend on the evaluation of the Salaknib training, which is set to end in September. Salaknib is the annual joint military exercises between the US and the Philippines.

“Yes, that is a possibility, depende du'n sa magiging result nu'ng training evaluation, 'yung after training (Yes, that is a possibility, it depends on the result of the evaluation after the training),” Dema-ala told reporters when asked about the possibility of an extension beyond September.

“Actually, wala siyang specific na [date ng] alis. Ang nasabi ko dati is 'yung Salaknib will be culminated by September. However every after 'yung Salaknib, magkakaroon ng training evaluation if the objectives of the exercise have been met. Kapag hindi pa name-meet 'yung objectives, possible this will still continue na,” he added.

(Actually, there is no specific departure date. What I said before is that Salaknib will culminate by September. However, every time Salaknib ends, there will be a training evaluation if the objectives of the exercise have been met. If the objectives are not yet met, it is possible that this deployment will still continue.)

Dema-ala was quoted last week as saying that the US mid-range missile system will be pulled out of the Philippines by September or earlier.

"As per plan... it will be shipped out of the country in September or even earlier," Dema-ala said.

The US Army's Typhon Medium Range Capability (MRC) launcher was initially deployed in the Philippines on April 11 for the first phase of the joint exercise Salaknib between the US and Philippine armies. It was also used in the Balikatan joint exercise of the US and Philippine armed forces. The missile system has the capacity to launch mid-range missiles.

Currently, the Typhon missile system is part of the second phase of Salaknib.

Dema-ala said the US mid-range missile system has not been fired since April because it was deployed for “orientation” and “familiarization” only.

According to him, it is located in northern Luzon.

China and Russia expressed concern over the report on the entry of the US mid-range missile system in the Philippines.

Following this, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairperson Senator Imee Marcos expressed alarm over China's supposed plan to use hypersonic missiles against military bases identified as sites for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) of the Philippines and the US.

“Dahil sa tingin ng Tsina, talagang kumampi na tayo sa kalaban nila... May nakita ako na plano ng Tsina na gagamitin 'yung hypersonic missile... Ang plano air, ang plano ay 'yung hypersonic missile at nakatakda na 'yung 25 na target nila,” she said.

(Because China thinks that we have really sided with their enemy... I saw a plan by China to use the hypersonic missile. The plan is the hypersonic missile and their 25 targets have been set.)

"Karamihan nu'ng 25 targets ay tutok sa 9 EDCA (Most of the 25 targets are the 9 EDCA sites)," she added. —KG, GMA Integrated News