PACOM Head: No Changes in US-Philippines Military Relationship
Stars and Stripes reports that “there are no plans for major changes in the U.S. military’s dealings with the Philippines military, despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s statements that American forces are no longer welcome there, Pacific Commander Adm. Harry Harris said Tuesday.”
“Since Duterte became the Philippines president in June, he has frequently voiced his distrust of the U.S. presence in his country and decreed an end to U.S.-Philippines military exercises. In addition, he ordered U.S. troops to leave the southern portion of the Philippines, where they have been training with local forces who are fighting Abu Sayyaf, an organization affiliated with the Islamic State group.”