ANGELES CITY, Philippines – A large contingent of local policemen has been securing US soldiers at the Clark Freeport for the Balikatan joint military exercises, and even at this city’s “red light” district where some 100 of them went for rest and recreation Monday night.
Senior Superintendent Pierre Bucsit, city police chief, admitted to The STAR that 50 policemen were deployed on Fields Avenue Monday night after US military personnel requested for police security during their rest and recreation sortie there.
Bucsit said 500 US Marines and 100 US Air Force personnel have arrived at Clark for the Balikatan exercises.
The STAR tried to contact US embassy spokesperson Rebecca Thompson but failed. One of her staffers, who asked not to be named, said some of the US soldiers now at Clark would perform medical, dental, veterinary, construction and other services as part of Balikatan.
The Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) said Balikatan exercises are now ongoing at Clark as well as in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Ternate in Cavite, and parts of the Bicol region.
Bucsit said the number of policemen securing US soldiers would depend on “criminal and other threats” against them.
“At present though, there is no perceived threat against the Americans,” he said.
Bucsit said the movement of the US military personnel is limited within the perimeter fence of Clark, including the SM City mall.
“If they have to go out, they are supposed to coordinate with us first for security,” he said.