U.S. Has No Plan To Put Bases In Southern Philippines

September 7, 2008 10:31 a.m. EST

Manila, Philippines (AHN) - The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines on Sunday stressed America does not intend to put up military bases or deploy troops permanently in the restive southern Philippines, insisting the U.S. soldiers were there at the invitation of the host country.

Embassy spokeswomen Rebecca Thompson said the U.S. troops come and go in southern Philippines on the request of the Philippine government.

She said, "We don't have U.S. forces permanently in the Philippines, so they come and go. They are here at the invitation of the Philippines. We have no bases or plans to base in the Philippines."

The U.S. military has been providing technical assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines in its fight against al-Qaida-linked terrorist groups, communist rebels and Islamic guerillas.

However, the U.S. troops are not allowed to participate in combat operations with Philippine troops.