US Embassy Clarifies Military Presence At Steel Facility

The site visit conducted by the United States and Philippine military personnel at the Sanjia Steel Corp. plant in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental was part of routine planning efforts, the US embassy in Manila said on Monday, Aug. 24.

The embassy issued a statement to clarify information circulating about the presence of US military personnel at the steel plant.

As part of the joint US-Philippines planning for Balikatan 2027, a team of US military and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel “arrived at the Sanjia facility in coordination with the Phividec (Philippine Veterans Investment Development Corp.) Industrial Authority to assess its potential for use as part of bilateral military exercises,” the embassy declared.

“The site visit was part of routine planning efforts. When notified of facility access requirements, the team moved on to other site visits as planned. At no point was entry insisted upon,” it added.

“We take this opportunity to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the ironclad alliance between the United States and the Philippines,” the embassy said.

The Chinese embassy in Manila said a security guard at the steel plant reported that American soldiers showed up and attempted to conduct an inspection.

The embassy questioned whether it had anything to do with the US plan to convert the industrial site into a fuel hub.