MANILA: The US Pacific Command has banned its troops in the Philippines from bars and nightclubs, a spokesman said on Saturday, with the trial under way of a US Marine accused of murdering a transgender Filipina he met in a bar.

Thousands of American and Filipino soldiers will on Monday kick off 10-day annual military excercises, according to Captain Alex Lim, a spokesman for the US forces, but there will be strict controls on their free time.

“There is a 10 pm curfew. The restrictions include no bars and clubs,” he said.

He also said that US soldiers will only be allowed to eat meals “in the vicinity of their place of dwelling,” for example at their hotel.

Lim would not say why the restrictions were imposed but conceded they came after a US serviceman was arrested for the murder of a transgender Filipina he met in a bar in October after taking part in military exercises in the Philippines.

US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton is now being tried for the crime in the Philippine city of Olongapo.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2015

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