Philippines, US to hold military drills

Philippines Marines take part in a beach landing as part of the 11-day "Balikatan" (shoulder-to-shoulder) annual joint US and Philippine military exercises at San Jose airport in Antique province, central Philippines on April 11, 2016. -AFP filepic

MANILA: The Philippine military said Sunday it would hold annual exercises with US troops next month, reaffirming its commitment to the alliance despite cooling relations under President Rodrigo Duterte.

The 10-day exercises will be the first held under Duterte, who has suggested cancelling the drills and called for the withdrawal of American troops, putting into question Manila’s 70-year-old alliance with Washington as he looks instead to court China.