Philippines and US troops to sink ship, retake islands in drills

MANILA: Philippines and US forces will sink a target ship, retake an island and sail in waters facing the South China Sea in joint military drills that will start next week against the backdrop of maritime tensions with Beijing.

The exercises will "demonstrate our combat-readiness and showcase US and Philippines armed forces’ interoperability,” Colonel Michael Logico (pic), who’s one of the organisers, told foreign correspondents in Manila on Wednesday.