Marcos may attend first littoral live fire drill in Balikatan
By Robina Asido
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may witness the first littoral live fire exercise under this year's Balikatan drill between the United States and Philippine forces in Zambales this month.
This was announced by Balikatan spokesman Col. Michael Logico following the opening ceremony of the annual bilateral exercise in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday.
Logico said Marcos is excited to attend the live fire exercise where the US and AFP assets will target and sink BRP Pangasinan, a decommissioned Navy warship, within 12 nautical miles from the shore of Zambales.
"I briefed the president myself and he said yes he will be coming. He is excited," he said.
"He was enthusiastic. Actually he said he wanted to look at it up close," he added.
Logico said the military may tour the president to see the weapon system that will be used in the littoral live fire exercise.
"Maybe when he wants to look up the weapon systems we can actually give him a tour around the weapon systems," he said.
Logico also confirmed that aside from Marcos, the representatives from different states, including the Chief of Staff of Japan Self Defense Force, Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida is expected to witness the activity.
As he welcomed the observers from different countries during the opening of Balikatan, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino said the presence of observers from different states makes the Balikatan "a collaboration that goes beyond borders."
''This year's 38th Philippine -US Balikatan iteration will have 17,680 participants, making this exercise the largest ever of the AFP and the US Armed Forces as well as counterpart from the Australian Defense Force. We have also taken the initiative to expand this year's exercise by inviting military observers from our partners in the region and other nations under the international observers program," he said.
"We believe that the Balikatan exercise is also an opportunity to deepen our collaboration that will enable appropriate and timely actions whenever needed. On this note let me also welcome our exercise observers from our ASEAN neighbors, our friends, our allies and partners. Your presence today makes this event a collaboration that goes beyond borders," he added.
In her speech, US Embassy in the Philippines Charge d'Affaires Heather Variava said the "38th iteration of Baliktan is the latest evolution of that cooperation including participation not just the US but also Australia and numerous partners and allies here as observers."
"This year's Balikatan will be the biggest ever, an indication of the growth of our alliance and how it continues to evolve to meet our shared goals," she added.
Logico said the littoral live fire exercise shows the Philippine air superiority over the area as all of its available weapon systems including FA-50, Super Tucano will also be used together with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) of the United States.
"Every weapons system of the AFP and the US will be employing their Himars. My only hope is that it does not sink until we utilize all our weapon systems," he said.
Logico said that the military will secure "the exercise area making sure that area is clear and will not pose a hazard to the civilian population."
The Balikatan exercise began after China ended its three-day military drill around Taiwan. Maj. Gen. Marvin Licudine, AFP Balikatan exercise director, stressed that the annual exercise between US and Philippine forces will not affect the tension in the region.
"The Balikatan exercise will not in no way affect the tensions going on around us, particularly in Taiwan or South China Sea because Balikatan is a year and year activity of the US and the Armed Forces of the Philippines as part of the Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board and the exercises just started our interoperability and our cooperation at military level. So that does not in any way affect the tensions and it should be seen as separately between allied nations," he said.
"The tension going on around us is the countries' individual political decisions but for us for the Armed Forces, it's more of making ourselves as an Armed Forces more efficient and effective to disaster response, terrorism or any challenges that we may face, our country may face in the future," he added. DMS
