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.