MANILA, Philippines - Muntinlupa Representative Rufino Biazon urged the suspension of military exercises between the Philippines and the United States after a landmine explosion that killed two American soldiers and member of the local Marines.

The explosion took place near a Marine detachment between the villages of Kagay and Luamsaing in Indanan, Sulu Tuesday morning.

Biazon called for the immediate pull out of American troops from combat zones while the incident is being investigated.

He said the incident could prompt the government to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the US that governs the conduct of military exercises in the country.

“Because of this incident, the fate of the VFA may just have been doomed,” Biazon said.

Biazon said American soldiers should not have been deployed in combat zones, where they would be exposed to the threat of enemy fire.

The soldiers, who did not take part in military operations, were on board a militay vehicle when the explosion happened, a military spokesman said.

Sulu is the hotbed of the Abu Sayyaf rebel group and is also a known hiding place of Muslim extremist group Jemaah Islamiyah.