Balikatan: US soldiers, Pinoy cops figure in bar brawl

MANILA, Philippines – Five American servicemen participating in this year’s Balikatan joint exercises are facing a probe for figuring in a brawl at a girlie bar in Puerto Princesa City last April 2.

Capt. Alex Lim, Balikatan spokesman for the US, said the US servicemen got involved in a brawl with three policemen, one of them the deputy commander of the Puerto Princesa police.

Lim said the five American servicemen would face investigation by their mother unit after the conclusion of the joint exercise.

“Any potential misconduct of US service members is completely unacceptable and not compatible with US military standards. Appropriate actions, which will be at their command’s discretion, will be taken at their home stations,” Lim said.

Lim did not identify the five Americans involved in the brawl, but the Filipino policemen were identified with the group of Superintendent Ariel Celino.

The Americans figured in a melee with Celino and his men at Club 54, a girlie bar in Puerto Prin-cesa City.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said Celino and his colleagues, Sr. Insp. Winner Paguio and SPO2 Jimmy Dalumpines, have been relieved and will face investigation over the incident.

The three policemen reportedly introduced themselves in the bar as part of ongoing anti-drug surveillance operations.

The incident was kept under wraps until a video was uploaded to social media and went viral.

The video showed an unnamed American serviceman tapping the bottle of beer he was holding on the beer of one of the Palawan policemen, who appeared to be asleep at another table.

This apparently angered another policeman, who confronted the American.

At the height of the confrontation, another policeman entered the scene and punched one of the American servicemen.

The uploaded video also showed that one of the Americans moved closer and disarmed one of the policemen of his service pistol before he was able to draw it.

Capt. Celeste Frank Sayson, Balikatan spokesman for the Philippines, said no Filipino soldiers were involved in the brawl. He was informed about the incident by his US counterpart. 

FA50 jets join live drill

In the Balikatan exercises, the Philippine Air Force will showcase its newly purchased FA50 fighter jets during today’s live fire drill at the Crow Valley firing and gunnery range in Capas, Tarlac.

“The two FA50s ‘Fighting Eagles,’ aside from other air and ground assets, will be participating in the joint air and ground maneuvers,” Sayson said.

Sayson could not say if the two FA50s would fire their weapons during the exercise.

On the other hand, the US Marines would be firing High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) today, marking the culmination of the 15-day joint military drill.

Sayson said static targets, representing entrenched enemy troops, would be engaged in today’s course of joint mock military maneuvers.

The other day, combined Filipino and US servicemen stormed the beaches of Antique in a mock assault to retake the province from foreign invaders.

Sayson said US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is likely to attend the live fire drill in Capas. However, Carter would not be attending the exercises at Crow Valley as he would be paying a courtesy call on President Aquino at Malacañang today.

Carter arrived in Manila last night to observe the Balikatan exercises. – With Jennifer Rendon, Rudy Santos