MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed yesterday that unmanned US Navy surveillance planes conduct patrols to help monitor activities in Philippine waters, particularly in the South China Sea.
DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said US drones fly over Philippine waters during joint military exercises with the United States.
Hernandez said the joint exercises involve the use of P3C Orion aircraft and are aimed at upgrading the skills of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Every now and then, we have military exercises that involve US aircraft. One of the primary purposes is to upgrade the skills of the military in terms of maritime domain awareness as well as search and rescue,” Hernandez said.
Read more: http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/07/31/1033591/us-assisting-phl-sea-patrol-dfa