Philippines, US defense chiefs condemn China’s ‘gray-zone activities’

by KAYCEE VALMONTE Philstar.com

MANILA — Filipino and American troops will sink a target vessel near Panatag South China Sea and its potential invasion of Taiwan and will put on their biggest exercise in history with the participation of 17,000 troops from both sides. This is nearly twice the 8,900 soldiers who joined last year.

The annual joint military exercises — called “Balikatan” or “shoulder-to-shoulder” that will run from April 11 to 28 — will feature some 12,000 U.S. soldiers and 5,000 Filipino troops. Australia will send about a hundred soldiers, while like-minded countries will join as observers.

The activities will be held across Northern Luzon and the provinces of Palawan and Antique.

The anticipated sinking exercise of an old fishing vessel will be held some 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles) off Zambales, or about 185

Philippines to announce new bases US soldiers can use

by MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines and the United States will soon announce the locations of four additional military bases in the Southeast Asian country that American soldiers will be allowed to use, officials said on Monday, March 20.

The longtime treaty allies agreed last month to expand cooperation in “strategic areas” of the country as they seek to counter China’s growing assertiveness over Taiwan and its building of bases in the South China Sea.

The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, known as EDCA, gave U.S. forces

US report: Red-tagging, journalist attacks continued in PH

by PIA LEE-BRAGO Philstar.com

previous years have remained unresolved.

by JOHN ERIC MENDOZA Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong”

Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, March 22 issued a stern warning to Negros Oriental Rep. Arnie Teves, who is still out of the country.

Marcos said that Teves should return to the Philippines lest the government will be forced to “move without any discussions with him.”

“The only advice I can only give to Cong. Arnie is that habang tumatagal ito mas nagiging mahirap ang sitwasyon mo. Mas maaga kang makauwi, mas marami pang option ang mangyayari.

MANILA — “Red-tagging” persists under the Marcos administration, whose position on the practice – deemed intended to silence criticism of the government – is unclear, according to the U.S. State Department’s latest annual country report on human rights practices released on Tuesday, March 21.

The same report also showed that physical attacks against journalists continue and several cases from

In its report, the State Department also said red-tagging has been used to intimidate opponents in local disputes, or provoke legal action against political opponents.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), an anti-insurgency task force formed during the Duterte administration, is seen as the primary actor in red-tagging media workers and government critics.