27 F-16 to beef up security at summit

27 F-16 to beef up security at summit

MANILA (DPA): At least 27 F-16 Fighting Falcons and 15 military cargo aircraft will be deployed at Clark air field to help beef up security measures for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit at nearby Subic Bay in November, sources said yesterday.

An internal security document provided to the German Press Agency (DPA) said 17 of the fighter jets will be provided by the U.S and the remaining 10 will come from Japan.

Security officials said the aircraft will be "covertly" used to help secure 18 heads of the APEC-member economies, their entourage and some 6,000 media practitioners, who are expected to attend the meeting at Subic Bay, 100 kilometers northwest of Manila.

Prompted by reported threats by foreign terrorists and local dissident groups to sabotage the APEC conference, government troops have also been engaging in "clearing operations" at the mountainous areas around the Subic Bay area, security officials said.