RP-Australian forces start joint military exercises

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija , Philippines  – Filipino and Australian troops started yesterday their three-week small-scale joint military training in bid to enhance the skills of both forces in the conduct of special operations.

The exercise, dubbed Dawn Caracha ’09, would focus on training both forces on waterborne operations, said Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner.

He said 14 highly trained members of the Royal Australian Regiment Commando would cross-train with 71 members of the Army’s elite Special Forces, with observers from the Navy’s Special Operations Group, the Air Force’s Special Operations Wing and the Marines.

The exercises, according to Brawner, are being conducted by virtue of a memorandum of agreement between the Philippines and Australia on Cooperative Defense Activities, which was forged in 1995.

The Philippines has yet to ratify the Status of Forces Agreement with Australia.

The SOFA between the two countries was signed by then defense secretary Hermogenes Ebdane and his Australian counterpart Brendan Nelson on May 31, 2007 in Canberra, which was witnessed by President Arroyo and Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

The agreement sets the guidelines for the conduct of joint military exercises between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Australian Defense Forces.

Aside from enhancing the inter-operability of the two militaries in counter-terrorism operations, it would also involve humanitarian and disaster relief assistance.

Talks for the signing of the SOFA began during the tenure of then defense secretary Avelino Cruz.

The Philippines is also party to the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States and has been conducting large-scale bilateral military exercises in the country.

The VFA came under fire following allegations that US troops have been maintaining their presence in the country, particularly in Mindanao.