MANILA, Philippines, April 20 (Eagle News) — The Malacañang said that the Balikatan exercise between the Philippines and the United States merely coincided with the rising tension between the Philippines and China. Presidential Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said that the military exercises were held yearly after the Philippines and United States signed the mutual defense treaty.
(Eagle News Service Jay Paul Carlos, Jericho Morales, MRFaith Bonalos)