PHL, US agree to recover remains of American soldiers

The Philippine and United States governments signed an agreement on Friday for the recovery of the remains of American soldiers who were deployed in the Philippines during World War II. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. signed the agreement or statement of intent at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) office in Manila. Under the agreement, the US Joint Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command will conduct joint mission with the Philippine Department of National Defense for the recovery of remains of American soldiers who died in the country during the war. “This mission includes research, investigation, recovery, and identification of the American military personnel. It also encourages the training and participation of other relevant agencies on matters of forensics," the DFA said in a statement issued Friday. The DFA said the mission honors the shared sacrifices made by the armed forces of both countries that “stood together side by side to defend freedom during World War II." In a separate statement, the US Embassy said the signing of the agreement is a “necessary first step" that allows the Philippines and the US governments to negotiate and finalize detailed guidelines of the mission. It said the mission team from Hawaii will visit the Philippines soon to locate the remains of the fallen, with the help of local counterparts. “Sadly, for over 65 years, many of those Americans who fought alongside Filipinos and gave their lives to liberate the Philippines in World War II have never been accounted for, as their remains have never been found," Thomas said. Their families still do not know their final stories nor were they able to lay them to rest properly, he added. — JE, GMA News