Vice President Gives Up Foreign Secretary Post

THE PHILIPPINES

*

Philippine Vice President Teofisto Guingona resigned from his post as foreign secretary after a dispute with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Guingona had expressed reservations about a U.S.-Philippine military exercise on constitutional grounds. He helped draw up guidelines to prevent U.S. troops from being involved in combat. Arroyo supports the exercise to train Philippine troops to fight the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist group.