March 1, 2000, The Philippine Star, War games claim Pinoy casualty,

March 1, 2000, The Philippine Star, War games claim Pinoy casualty,

A Philippine soldier was accidentally killed last Monday during the final phase of large-scale war exercises by Filipino and US troops in Ternate, Cavite.

A report submitted to Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes said Cpl. Noli Dadivas of the 38th Marine Company was killed when he was run over by a V300 amphibious vehicle during an event simulating a beach landing at Marine Base Ternate (MBT) before noon.

About 2,400 soldiers from both sides joined the event, with actual landings of US assault vehicles and ship bombardments.

"It is very regrettable that this incident happened. It is very unfortunate," AFP spokesman Col. Rafael Romero said. "During military exercises, we try to duplicate real situations which could be really dangerous. Exercises are done very realistically."

Dadivas may have failed to follow "strict procedures" during the exercises, he said.

The Marine, who was riding the amphibious vehicle that crushed him, was part of an all-Filipino group "invading" Caynipa Beach at the MBT.

After jumping off the V300, Dadivas reportedly positioned himself too close to the tracks of the vehicle. When the V300 made a sudden turn, it ran over Dadivas who was lying on his stomach.

The body was brought to the Mondragon Provincial Hospital for proper disposition.

Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said his department would help the family of the soldier, who will be posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Philippine and US officials overseeing the joint military exercises did not immediately announce the death, the first serious accident to mar the staging of the month-long exercises, called "Balikatan" (shoulder to shoulder).

A government source later explained that the information on the accident was released only after the soldier's family had been notified.

Some military officials, however, claimed Dadivas was not the first casualty in the joint exercises but details were not immediately available.

Yesterday's exercise was the highlight of month-long maneuvers under the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) which are to formally end on March 3.

War jets fired on enemy targets and troops were brought ashore by amphibious vehicles during the exercises, which were witnessed by US Ambassador Thomas Hubbard, Mercado and other government and military officials.

"We will continue to do exercises of this kind. I am confident that they will continue to be incident-free as this one has been," Hubbard told reporters after the exercises.

More than 2,300 US personnel and a similar number of Filipinos took part in the month-long war games, which were staged in at least four venues.

In Clark, some 400 US soldiers will be leaving the former US air base in several batches starting today.

State-owned Clark Development Corp. (CDC) said yesterday it would inspect areas where war exercises were conducted to ensure that the US military leaves no dangerous materials or wastes.

"This is just to make sure that nothing hazardous to the health and lives of the public is left behind," said CDC information and community relations manager Sonny Lopez.

Capt. Isabelito Sanchez, information officer of the 600th Philippine Air Base Wing in Clark, said US forces will start flying in four CH-53 helicopters back to Okinawa.

Other helicopters, however, will stay up to Thursday for other exercises slated to last up to March 3.

No formal closing ceremonies have been announced, but a cocktail party for both Philippine and US participants was held yesterday at the Poolside Resort. --With Ding Cervantes, wire reports