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Pope Francis in the Philippines: Ecstatic Filipinos mark first papal visit in 20 years

By Nicole Winfield and Teresa Cerojano - Associated Press

Protesters hang a rainbow banner from the foot bridge near the U.S. Embassy to demand justice for the Oct. 11, 2014 killing of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude at the former U.S. naval base of Subic northwest of Manila, Monday, Dec. 1, 2014. U.S. marine PFC Joseph Scott Pemberton was tagged as the suspect in the killing which the protesters termed as a "hate crime" against LGBT (Lesbians Gays Bisexual and Transgender) Filipinos. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

U.S. Marine charged with murder of Filipino transgender

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

In this Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, file photo, U.S. Marine Pfc Joseph Scott Pemberton, a suspect in the gruesome killing of a transgender Filipino woman, is escorted to his detention as he arrives inside the compound of the Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines. American forces are guarding Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton, yet a ring of Filipino troops surrounds them. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

Marine murder case reveals U.S.-Philippine sore spot

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

In this photo released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office, Philippine Military Chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang, center, reacts after learning about the safe repositioning of Filipino peacekeepers in Golan Heights as they monitor the situation with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, second left, Philippine National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, third from left seated, at Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in suburban Quezon city, Philippines on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014. Catapang said more than 70 Filipino peacekeepers have escaped from two areas in the Golan Heights that came under attack by Syrian rebels. (AP Photo/Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office)

Philippine troops pull ‘greatest escape’ in Golan

By JIM GOMEZ and RYAN LUCAS - Associated Press

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attends the Upper house diplomacy and Defense committee session in Tokyo Thursday, May 29, 2014. China’s moves to assert its territorial claims in the South China Sea are giving fresh impetus to a Japanese push to play a bigger role in regional security, adding to the growing strains between the two Asian rivals. Japan said this week it is exploring whether it can accelerate a proposal to supply patrol boats for Vietnam, following a tense standoff at sea in May over a Chinese oil rig moved into waters that Vietnam also claims. In a similar deal, Japan agreed in December to lend 18.7 billion yen ($183 million) to the Philippines to purchase 10 Japanese-made boats. The vessels are a tangible sign of Abe’s effort to deepen ties with Southeast Asia in the face of China’s expanding maritime ambitions. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Amid Asian feuds, Japan seeks bigger security role

By KEN MORITSUGU - Associated Press

In this photo taken Feb. 25, 2014 by surveillance planes and released Thursday, May 15, 2014, by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, a Chinese vessel, top center, is used to expand structures and land on the Johnson Reef, called Mabini by the Philippines and Chigua by China, at the Spratly Islands at South China Sea, Philippines. The Philippines has protested China's reclamation of land in the disputed reef in the South China Sea that can be used to build an airstrip or an offshore military base in the increasingly volatile region, the country's top diplomat and other officials said Wednesday, May 14, 2014. The white arrow was added by the source. (AP Photo/Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs)

Philippines releases photos of Chinese reclamation

By OLIVER TEVES - Associated Press

Protesters shout slogans as they picket the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to coincide with the opening ceremony of the joint U.S.-Philippines military exercise dubbed Balikatan 2014, Monday, May 5, 2014 at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. More than 5,000 U.S. and Filipino troops have begun two weeks of military exercises to flex their muscle in jointly dealing with potential crisis in the Philippines, which is prone to natural disasters and has been locked in a dangerous standoff with China over a disputed shoal. This year's war games focuses on maritime security. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

U.S., Filipino troops begin large military drill

By JIM GOMEZ - Associated Press

In this Sept. 20, 2013, file photo, Filipino Marines and U.S. Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit BOXER Amphibious Ready Group based in Okinawa, Japan, drop from a CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter during a joint military exercise called Philippines-U.S. Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) in Ternate, Cavite province, southern Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

New pact reflects cozier US-Philippine alliance

By JIM GOMEZ - Associated Press

Obama: US takes VA neglect claim ‘very seriously’

Associated Press

Police train their fire hose at protesters as the latter try to force their way closer to the U.S. Embassy for a rally against next week's visit of U.S. President Barack Obama, in Manila, Philippines, Wednesday, April 23, 2014. Philippine police armed with truncheon, shields and water hose have clashed with more than 100 left-wing activists who rallied at the U.S. Embassy in Manila to oppose a visit by Obama and a looming pact that will increase the American military presence in the Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Protesters, police clash in Philippines ahead of Obama visit

By Dave Boyer - The Washington Times

In this March 2, 2009 file photo, Filipino singer-songwriter Arnel Pineda, center, the lead vocalist of American rock band &quot;Journey&quot; smiles beside Neal Schon, left, and now-former bandmate Deen Castronovo, right, during a press conference at a mall in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines. American rock band Journey’s lead vocalist Pineda said he’s been putting together an album of his own compositions in his own voice which he plans to release in 2014. The singer spoke in an interview Tuesday, April 8, 2014, during the launch of his version of the song &quot;Charity&quot; in the animated children's music video Cha-Ching on Cartoon Network. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

Pineda plans solo album, but not leaving Journey

By TERESA CEROJANO - Associated Press