No Balikatan exercises in Luisita, says Aquino

TARLAC CITY, Philippines  – President Aquino belied yesterday reports that military exercises between the United States and the Philippines would be held in his family-owned Hacienda Luisita.

“The only involvement of Luisita is that some of the soldiers participating are billeted in Microtel. But there are no exercises inside Luisita, I think that is propaganda,” Aquino said in an ambush interview with reporters after the Barangay Assembly Day in Barangay Central.

He said he would have to check the venue of the Balikatan exercises next year, but the exercises were normally held in Crow Valley in Capas, Tarlac.

All staff and field exercises were held in Crow Valley; in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; at Subic Bay in Zambales; at Basa Airbase in Pampanga; at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City; at Clark Airfield in Pampanga; at the Marine Base in Ternate, Cavite; and in Palawan.