Militants burn US flag in anti-Balikatan rally in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—About 2,000 demonstrators protested the holding of the “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder) joint Philippine-US military exercises but were barred to stage their rally near the Western Mindanao Command here on Thursday.

However, the group of former Representative Satur Ocampo was allowed to hold a program some 500 meters from the military camp’s main gate or 800 meters away from gates of the Joint Special Operation Task Force Philippines.

The burning of a US flag capped the protest, held under tight security provided by contingents from the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces, the Bureau of Fire Prevention and plainclothesmen.

At least four firetrucks were on standby but in the end no untoward incident happened.