Philippines: US military presence continues in south

By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The United States' military presence will continue in Mindanao as a new batch of U.S. Special Forces has arrived to replace those who already left, the military confirmed Wednesday.

This is despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement that American forces should leave Mindanao.

In September this year, Duterte said U.S. Special Forces have to go because their presence has complicated things in Mindanao and the situation would just get more tense if they remained.

A military source at the Western Mindanao Command who requested anonymity said a new batch of US Special Forces arrived in Zamboanga City a few days ago to replace those that left early this year.

Defense Chief Delfin Lorenzana said U.S. Special Forces would continue to stay in Mindanao as they were needed to provide capabilities that the local military forces did not have.

The U.S. military has been providing surveillance capability for the military, particularly in Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Lorenzana added that U.S. forces were using a small aircraft with night flying capability and three drones.

The U.S. troops maintain a small camp inside the Westmincom headquarters here and have been training their Filipino counterparts in such skills as humanitarian and medical evacuation, including mobile treatment of wounded soldiers.