600 U.S. troops arrive in RP

600 U.S. troops arrive in RP

PHILIPPINES: Six hundred U.S. troops arrived at the former American naval base at Subic Bay in the Philippines on Sunday to take part in joint military exercises, the Philippine military said.

The group is an advance party for the force of 2,500 U.S. troops who will take part in the training exercises with some 2,300 Filipino soldiers until March 7, said Brig. Gen. Rafael Romero.

The troops belong to the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force based in Okinawa, Japan. They arrived by ship and off-loaded helicopters, all-purpose vehicles and communications equipment.

"Other troops will arrive as days progress," said Romero. He said the first batch would be stationed at an army base in Ternate north of Manila and on the western island of Palawan.

The maneuvers are part of joint exercises by the militaries of the two countries, which have forged a close alliance under the banner of the U.S.-led war on terrorism.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo assured neighboring countries last week that the war games with the United States were not related to Manila's sovereignty claim over the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea. --AFP