The increased presence of US military air assets in the Philippines is due to the 2023 Cope Thunder bilateral exercises between the 2 countries, an Air Force official said on Tuesday, adding that all the aircrafts were covered by diplomatic clearances.
“As long as they are covered by diplomatic clearances and communicated to us by the Department of Foreign Affairs, there is no threat because it went through the proper process. All those involved in the training went through the proper process of getting the proper diplomatic clearance,” Philippine Air Force spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said.
Cope Thunder, a joint exercise of the US Air Force and the Philippine Air Force, is ongoing until July 21.
Castillo’s statement came on the heels of the call of Senator Imee Marcos to investigate the arrival of several US air assets in the country.
She also called on concerned government agencies to monitor the presence of US military aircraft and Chinese naval ships “equally.”
But Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said that there was no discrimination in the military’s monitoring of aircraft and vessels entering Philippine territory.
“When it comes to monitoring, it is inherent in our job to monitor everything. In the entry of aircraft, there is a process involved. It goes through the right process,” Aguilar said.
Marcos on Sunday raised concern over the presence of at least two more C-17 Globemasters of the US Air Force in Manila and Palawan.
While acknowledging the ongoing military exercises between the two countries, she said there is a need to shed light on the activities of US Air Force planes in Philippine air space.
Marcos earlier asked the Senate to investigate the mysterious activity of a US Air Force C-17 that landed at NAIA on June 26 at 8:08 am. and departed NAIA at 6:10 p.m. for Palawan for a 10-hour unexplained gap.
“Too little is known about ongoing US military activity in our territory while we constantly call out the presence of Chinese vessels in the South China Sea,” the senator and presidential sister said.
She said the Senate hearing inquiry would discuss the US military’s possible violation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
The US Embassy in Manila earlier clarified that it has been coordinating with the Philippine government to grant permission for the entry of any US government aircraft into the country.
“The embassy coordinates with the Philippine government to receive diplomatic clearance for all US government aircraft that enter the Philippines,” acting US Embassy spokesperson Stephen Dove said in a statement after the June 26 arrival of US Air Force C-17.
The increased presence of US military air assets in the Philippines is due to the 2023 Cope Thunder bilateral exercises between the 2 countries, an Air Force official said on Tuesday, adding that all the aircrafts were covered by diplomatic clearances.
“As long as they are covered by diplomatic clearances and communicated to us by the Department of Foreign Affairs, there is no threat because it went through the proper process. All those involved in the training went through the proper process of getting the proper diplomatic clearance,” Philippine Air Force spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said.
Cope Thunder, a joint exercise of the US Air Force and the Philippine Air Force, is ongoing until July 21.
Castillo’s statement came on the heels of the call of Senator Imee Marcos to investigate the arrival of several US air assets in the country.
She also called on concerned government agencies to monitor the presence of US military aircraft and Chinese naval ships “equally.”
But Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said that there was no discrimination in the military’s monitoring of aircraft and vessels entering Philippine territory.
“When it comes to monitoring, it is inherent in our job to monitor everything. In the entry of aircraft, there is a process involved. It goes through the right process,” Aguilar said.
Marcos on Sunday raised concern over the presence of at least two more C-17 Globemasters of the US Air Force in Manila and Palawan.
While acknowledging the ongoing military exercises between the two countries, she said there is a need to shed light on the activities of US Air Force planes in Philippine air space.
Marcos earlier asked the Senate to investigate the mysterious activity of a US Air Force C-17 that landed at NAIA on June 26 at 8:08 am. and departed NAIA at 6:10 p.m. for Palawan for a 10-hour unexplained gap.
“Too little is known about ongoing US military activity in our territory while we constantly call out the presence of Chinese vessels in the South China Sea,” the senator and presidential sister said.
She said the Senate hearing inquiry would discuss the US military’s possible violation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
The US Embassy in Manila earlier clarified that it has been coordinating with the Philippine government to grant permission for the entry of any US government aircraft into the country.
“The embassy coordinates with the Philippine government to receive diplomatic clearance for all US government aircraft that enter the Philippines,” acting US Embassy spokesperson Stephen Dove said in a statement after the June 26 arrival of US Air Force C-17.