The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed the presence of U.S. soldiers in Palawan, assisting in the West Philippine Sea.
According to the AFP Public Affairs Office, U.S. troops are tasked with information sharing and maritime domain awareness at the Command and Control Fusion Center within the AFP Western Command in Palawan.
The work being carried out by the allies is considered critical for planning activities in the West Philippine Sea.
Earlier, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited the American soldiers deployed in the Philippines under the U.S. Task Force Ayungin.
Aside from the AFP, the US Embassy and Task Force Ayungin also confirmed the presence of US troops, whose mission is to support Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea.
Ayungin refers to a maritime feature within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where the BRP Sierra Madre is stationed.
Furthermore, the United States Indo-Pacific Command has also offered assistance in conducting rotation and resupply missions for the ship, amid increasing harassment from China.
However, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. mentioned that the Philippines intends to handle the operations on its own before requesting foreign assistance.
