MANILA (AFP) – Thousands of United States (US) and Filipino marines launched 10 days of joint exercises in the northern and western Philippines yesterday.
The annual Kamandag, or Venom, exercises are focussed on defending the north coast of the Philippine’s main island of Luzon.
Philippine Marine Corps commandant Major-General Arturo Rojas stressed at yesterday’s opening ceremony in Manila that Kamandag was long planned and had “nothing to do with whatever is happening in the region”.
The drills’ primary focus will be live-fire exercises along Luzon’s north coast, while other activities will be conducted on tiny Philippine islands.
US Marines representative Colonel Stuart Glenn said the exercises were aimed at helping the US and its allies respond to “any crisis or contingencies”.
The western Philippine island of Palawan will also host part of the drills.
The US and Philippines are fielding just over a thousand participants each, while smaller numbers of Australian, British, Japanese and South Korean forces are also taking part.
An amphibious landing and training on how to defend against chemical and biological warfare were also among the activities planned, according to a press kit.
