US soldiers withdraw from joint war games

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — US Air Force (USAF) soldiers, who arrived here for joint military exercises under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), pulled out over the weekend, reportedly to end speculations linking their presence to political developments in the country.

Some 200 USAF personnel were initially expected at this former American military base for the joint war games, dubbed "Teak Piston," which were supposed to have started last Jan. 18.

Maj. Allan Ballesteros, spokesman of the 600th Air Base Wing of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), said an undetermined number of USAF administrative officers arrived here on board a C-5 aircraft, bringing along crates of office and other equipment. They were followed by two C-130 transport aircraft and three AH-53 helicopters.

But last Saturday noon, the USAF personnel received orders from higher authorities to pack up and return to their bases in Okinawa (Japan) and Korea, Ballesteros said.

"I think the decision was prompted by many speculations triggered by their presence here at a time when former President Estrada was being ousted through ‘people power,’ " he said.

All USAF personnel and their equipment were gone by Sunday.

"The USAF personnel, who were billeted at the Oasis and Maharaj hotels, did not even have time for rest and recreation at local bars," Ballesteros said.

The presence of the US military here triggered talk that the US government was planning to intervene at the height of "People Power II" at EDSA.

Cellphone text messages also spread, claiming that the US military personnel who arrived here were tasked to assist Mr. Estrada and his family in seeking refuge in foreign lands.

During the 1986 EDSA Revolution, the late former President Marcos and his family were spirited out to Hawaii from this former US Air Force base.

The pullout of the US forces was relayed to PAF officials here by one Maj. Doty, reportedly the military exercises director of the USAF contingent.

Ballesteros said no activities were undertaken under "Teak Piston" which was supposed to be participated in by some 200 PAF personnel.

"We were overtaken by events," Ballesteros said.

Among the activities lined up for "Teak Piston" were lectures and high-altitude, low-opening parachute exercises, he said.

Earlier, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon said 18 Philippine-US joint military exercises were scheduled this year, to be participated in by a total of 2,000 US servicemen.

Ballesteros is unsure whether "Teak Piston" would still push through, but added that a large-scale joint military exercise dubbed "Balikatan" is slated this April.