In wake of Gis' deaths

Suspend RP-US exercises, lawmaker urges

MANILA, Philippines – Joint military exercises between the Philippines and United States should be suspended following the deaths of two American soldiers and a Filipino Marine in a bomb attack in Sulu province on Tuesday, a lawmaker said.

Muntinlupa Representative Rozzano Rufino Biazon also called for the immediate pullout of American troops from combat zones while the incident is being investigated.

He said the incident could lead to the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that governs the conduct of military exercises in the country.

“Because of this incident, the fate of the VFA may just have been doomed,” Biazon said.

Biazon said US soldiers should not have deployed to combat zones where they would be exposed to the threat of attack.

The soldiers were riding a Hummer when the attack happened near a Marine detachment in Indanan town.