The Philippine military confirmed the involvement of allied forces in forensic examinations of submersible drones recovered in various parts of the country in previous year.
"We are receiving a lot of support from our treaty ally and other partner nations across a broad range of activities across different fields. This will include forensics analysis," Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday.
"I would not like to go into all the details but the AFP and our treaty ally and other partner nations have a broad range of activities that we engage ourselves in. We receive support. We also provide exchange of information across a varied field. This will include forensic analysis," he added.
Aside from the United States which is a very close ally, Trinidad said other foreign forces who are helping the AFP in a "broad range of fields" includes "Australia, Great Britain, Canada, France, New Zealand and Japan."
"We have military-to-military relations with a good number of countries, foreign countries. This will include Australia, Great Britain, Canada, France, New Zealand, Japan, the U.S. So, we interact with all these countries across a broad range of fields," he said.
"We are engaging them across a broad range of activities," he added.
Trinidad said based on their update four of the five underwater drones recovered in previous year including the drone that was found in Masbate last December 30 are still subject for forensic examination.
"So far the latest is that we have submitted all of them for forensics, only one has been completed, we have given the partial report of the result of the first drone. all others are still undergoing forensics analysis," he said. Robina Asido/DMS