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A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 30 January 2017
Duterte asks US not to store weapons in Philippine camps

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — which has left thousands
Philippine President Rodri- of mostly suspected drug
go Duterte asked the Unit- users and small-time deal-
ed States on Sunday not ers dead. Duterte, who has
to store weapons in local moved to rebuild once-
camps under a defense frosty relations with China,
pact, saying his country has repeatedly threatened
may get entangled if fight- to scale back military exer-
ing erupts between Chi- cises with American troops
na and the U.S. and stop agreements that
Duterte said in a news con- allow U.S. forces to visit.
ference that he would con- The agreements include
sider abrogating a 2014 the Enhanced Defense
defense pact that allows Cooperation Agreement,
U.S. forces to temporarily which was signed by the
station in designated Phil- treaty allies in 2014. But he
ippine camps if the Ameri- has walked back many
cans build weapon depots of those threats. Defense
in those encampments. Secretary Delfin Lorenza-
“They’re unloading arms na said Thursday that the
in the Philippines now,” Pentagon plans to start
Duterte said, identifying constructing facilities in-
three areas where U.S. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, center, watches as Russian navy officers show the weapons side designated Philippine
on board the Russian anti-submarine Navy vessel Admiral Tributs in Manila, Philippines. Duterte
forces were supposedly asked the United States on Sunday not to store weapons in local camps under a defense pact, military camps as early as
bringing in their arma- saying his country may get entangled if fighting erupts between China and the U.S. this year. Lorenzana men-
ments, including the west- (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) tioned at least three Phil-
ern Philippine province of ippine camps where the
Palawan, which faces the not allow it,” Duterte said mediately comment on nistic to the administration Americans plan to start
disputed South China Sea. in the televised news con- Duterte’s remarks. of former President Barack constructions of buildings
“I’m serving notice to the ference after meeting top The brash-talking Philippine Obama for raising con- for their troops and equip-
armed forces of the United military and police officials. leader, who took office in cerns over Duterte’s bloody ment, including an air base
States, do not do it, I will U.S. officials did not im- June, has been antago- crackdown on illegal drugs in Palawan province. q

Philippines: Airstrikes killed 15 IS group-linked militants

JIM GOMEZ — Philippine airstrikes have group, including a sus- Ano and another air force foreigners previously moni-
Associated Press killed 15 Muslim militants pected Indonesian militant, official said. It was the first tored as having joined Fili-
MANILA, Philippines (AP) linked to the Islamic State while one of Southeast time that the FA50s, pino militant groups in the
Asia’s top terror suspects which were acquired from south.
was seriously wounded in South Korea in late 2015 as Hapilon reportedly was
the country’s south, the mil- the military’s only fighter designated to lead an Is-
itary chief said Sunday. jets, were deployed in a lamic State group branch
Military Chief of Staff Gen. combat mission. in Southeast Asia and is on
Eduardo Ano said the body Four FA50s have been de- the U.S. Department of Jus-
of the suspected Indone- livered and the rest of 12 tice list of most-wanted ter-
sian militant, jets are to be delivered by rorists worldwide with a re-
known by his nom de July, air force officials said. ward of up to $5 million for
guerre Mohisen, was recov- President Rodrigo Duterte his capture.
ered by troops along with has criticized the FA50s He moved to Butig from
three dead Filipino follow- as being inadequate for his stronghold on southern
ers of militant leader Isnilon counterinsurgency opera- Basilan island a month ago
Hapilon, tions and good only as fly- with about 30 fighters to
who was seriously wound- by aircraft for ceremonies. look for a base, Ano said.
ed in the hilly outskirts of Hapilon was being moved IS group commanders ap-
Butig town in Lanao del Sur around by his men on a parently wanted Hapilon to
province. makeshift stretcher but set up a base in Lanao, a
Eleven other militants were could not escape from La- vast region that offers more
reportedly killed, Ano said, nao, about 830 kilometers security than his mountain
citing intelligence, but (520 miles) south of Manila, base on Basilan island, so
added their bodies have because artillery-backed foreign militants could have
not been found. troops have blocked pos- a springboard to expand
Hapilon was wounded in sible exit points, Ano said. their influence, he said.
the arm and was losing “We’re making it very dif- The ongoing offensive “is
blood after air force air- ficult for them to move significant because it will
craft, around and survive,” Ano derail their plan to expand
including FA50 supersonic told The Associated Press the IS presence to mainland
fighter jets, dropped six by telephone. Mindanao,” said Defense
500-pound (225-kilogram) The military will ask Indone- Secretary Delfin Lorenzana,
bombs Wednesday night sian authorities for help in referring to the southern
and Thursday on a militant confirming the identity and Philippine region, the scene
encampment in an ongo- background of Mohisen, of decadeslong uprisings
ing offensive, who was not among the by minority Muslims.q