U.S., Philippine forces begin joint exercises

Two joint bilateral exercises of the United States and the Philippine armed forces, known as "Talon Vision and Phiblex", officially began Monday morning with ceremonies held at the U.S. marine ground at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, reported the Philippine News Agency.

The military exercises are conducted mainly in the Subic Bay former U.S. navy base and Clark former U.S. air base areas in Luzon and will last until Oct. 31, according to the report quoting exercises spokesperson Capt. Burrell Parmer of the U.S. troops.

Over the weekend, more than 400 U.S. Marines and sailors arrived from their base in Japan at the Subic Bay Free Port aboard a high-speed vessel for the bilateral training, Parmer said.

Before that, a realistic helicopter-borne raid was conducted on Sunday by some 70 U.S. Marines and sailors with a Japan-based Marine unit, while fellow Marines and members of the Philippine Air Force acted as aggressors at Basa air base in Pampanga 100 kilometers north of Manila.

The U.S. servicemen planned and executed the training as part of bilateral exercises "Talon Vision and Amphibious Landing Exercise (Phiblex)", according to Parmer.

Source: Xinhua