2,665 U.S. Troops Due to Philippines in April on Exercises

A total of 2,665 U.S. troops in stead of the 1,700 reportedly earlier, are going to the Philippines in April for the second phase of the Philippine-U.S. joint military exercises.

The second-phase exercises are set in the central of Luzon island in the north, the Philippine Daily Inquirer on-line news Thursday quoted Philippine Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes as saying.

The Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) spokesperson Edilberto Adan announced on Tuesday that he was expecting only 1,700 American soldiers to come in April for the joint exercises.

He said amphibious landing and field trainings, which will be held in the northern provinces of Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Cavite, are going to involve about 2,100 Philippine troops.