Manila, US war games plan defence of oil rigs

MANILA, Feb 20 (Reuters) The United States and the Philippines began drafting plans today to deal with maritime security threats, including how to defend the Asian country's oil and gas rigs and pipelines from potential attacks.

About 130 military planners -- including observers from Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia -- will simulate several scenarios dealing with threats such as terrorism, piracy and smuggling over the next seven days.

As part of annual US-Philippine war games, the countries will also look at other specific threats, such as potential terror threats on oil and gas platforms and pipelines.

''We're going to attempt to come up with (plans) that will help us combat maritime security threats,'' said Lieutenant Commander John Taylor, maritime planning officer of Hawaii-based US Pacific Command.

''We're at both terrorist and piracy as well as drugs and all forms of smuggling,'' Taylor said, adding they would focus on the movements of terrorists on small boats between the vast and porous borders of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

General Hermogenes Esperon, military's chief of staff, said the tabletop exercises would help prepare both Philippine and US troops on how to deal with real-life incidents.

''The work they're doing now could be translated much later into actual operational plans,'' Esperon told reporters. ''If you would start your planning right there and then, you might be too late in your actions.'' About 400 US and 1,200 Philippine soldiers were taking part in two weeks of annual bilateral military wargames focused on humanitarian activities in 13 poor Muslim areas in the south of mainly Roman Catholic country.

REUTERS MS PM1643