Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21) — The chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) denied a report about plans for a joint drill between the United States, Australia, and Japan in the South China Sea.
In an interview with reporters on Monday, AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner said warships from the three countries were headed to the Philippines, but this was coincidental.
A report published on the Kyodo news agency website last week said the US, Australia, and Japan were sending ships to the country for a “planned exercise” that would happen this week.
He said American and Japanese ships are scheduled for a routine port visit, while an Australian warship is taking part in the first-ever Exercise Alon with joint drills in Palawan and other parts of Luzon.
Brawner said the Australian ship was taking part in Exercise Alon, which began in Darwin, Australia last week.
“Sa tingin ko, baka na-misinterpret lang na yung Exercise Alon na ito, kasama natin yung Australia and US, pero hindi tayo nagpadala ng barko,” he said.
[Translation: I think that this was misinterpreted because of Exercise Alon — we are with Australia and the US, but we did not ask that they bring ships.]
The report also said the Philippines “canceled” its participation in the joint drill, and this was also denied by Brawner who added they encourage joint exercises “among like-minded nations.”
“We are still continuing to coordinate kung saan nanggaling itong source ng information na ito,” said Brawner.
“But as far as we are concerned, hindi natin alam kung saan galing ito and that per coordination with our counterparts walang exercise among these three nations that is ongoing in the next few weeks,” he added.
[Translation: We are still continuing to coordinate where the source of this information is from. But as far as we are concerned. we don’t know where it came from, and that per coordination with our counterparts, there is no exercise among these three nations that is ongoing in the next few weeks.]
