THE Philippine Army yesterday said a medium-range missile system of United States military may remain in the country beyond September this year, depending on the training needs of Filipino troops.
Army spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala said a training evaluation will have to be conducted first before coming up with a decision to withdraw the Typhoon missile system from the Philippines.
The system arrived in Luzon last April for the first phase of the annual “Salaknib” exercise between American and Filipino troops. It also figured in the Balikatan exercise held in April to June. It was again used in the second phase of the Salaknib exercise which is ongoing and which Dema-ala said will end in September.
Reports earlier quoted Dema-ala as saying that the US equipment will be pulled out of the Philippines in September when the second phase of Salaknib exercise ends. Yesterday, Dema-ala said there is actually no definite period as to when the missile system will leave the Philippines, adding “we cannot say if (it will be withdrawn in September) or extended,” he said.
“After every Salaknib, there is going to be training evaluation (to determine) if the training objectives of the exercise have been met. If objectives are not met, it’s possible it (missile system) will continue (to be here),” he Dema-ala.
Dema-ala said the Typhoon missile system is being used to train Filipino troops how operate the equipment. He nevertheless clarified that the equipment had not been used in a live fire exercise.
China’s defense ministry has condemned the deployment of the Typhoon missile system, saying it “brought huge risks of war into the region.”
China deploys its own advanced intermediate-range missiles as part of an extensive conventional ballistic missile arsenal.
