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Joint drills with US, Australia not meant to provoke a particular country — Brawner
The Philippines’ execution of joint military exercises with its counterparts, including the United States and Australia, is not meant to provoke a particular country, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. stressed on Monday. Brawner cited the recent conduct of the biggest United States-Philippines Balikatan Exercises, which has been observed annually under both countries’ mutual defense treaty. "'Yung ginagawa nating coalition, 'yung ginagawa nating mga joint exercises ( The coalition and the joint exercises that we are doing) are not addressed toward one specific country," Brawner told reporters in a chance interview shortly after the National Heroes Day event at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Earlier this month, the Philippines and Australia, assisted by the US, began their first-ever bilateral amphibious warfare exercise in San Antonio, Zambales. It is part of the Philippines-Australia’s “Exercise ALON”, with 700 AFP personnel joining along with 1, 200 members of the Australian Defense Force and 150 officers of United States Marine Corps. Exercise ALON, which runs until 31 August, is part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour activity between the Philippines and Australia for 2023, which targets close collaboration between the AFP and ADF to increase interoperability and deepen people-to-people links to enhance defense cooperation. The Indo-Pacific Endeavor is Australia's flagship international engagement activity in the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean region. Brawner insisted that these exercises with other countries would not necessarily provoke China’s aggression. "No, we don't believe that they will be more aggressive because of that. In fact, we have been doing this for a longer time already," Brawner said. "'Yung Balikatan Exercises na ginagawa natin every year, nandiyan po 'yung mga sundalo ng US, nandiyan po 'yung mga sundalo ng Australia, may mga observers tayo from Japan, we also have observers from other nations (We conduct Balikatan every year, US troops are there, Australian soldiers are there and we have observers from Japan),” he added. The post Joint drills with US, Australia not meant to provoke a particular country — Brawner appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Proxies and agents
The country has been the focus of China’s foreign influence operations, or FIOs, over the past few years, which are activities that had intensified in parallel to the worsening situation in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines has been the focus for the bulk of the People’s Republic of China FIOs relating to the WPS, as much of the offshore territory claimed by the PRC in this area that lies within the Philippines’ EEZ, based on a report of Dr. Peter Chalk, a former senior analyst with the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, CA. United Front Work, which is a euphemism for covert activities in the Philippines, is allegedly undertaken mostly by five local groups: China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification, which promotes universal adherence to the CCP’s One China Principle by advocating against recognition of Taiwan and, presumably, its claims in the SCS; Chinese People’s Association of Friendship with Foreign Countries, which works to foster cordial relations with other countries to “improve” their opinions of the PRC; China Overseas Friendship Association, which acts as a platform for information exchanges, and people-to-people links and provides networking across the global overseas China diaspora; and China Zhi Gong Party, which focuses on outreach to overseas Chinese individuals and communities. The groups act as proxies of the United Front Work Department, or UFWD, of the Chinese government which have specific tasks to coopt influential Filipinos and members of the Filipino-Chinese community into backing the PRC’s position on regional affairs. With respect to the WPS, the UFWD focuses on swaying businessmen, civic leaders, academics, journalists, and politicians to act as pliable conduits for promoting and endorsing Beijing’s presence in the littoral area. Chalk then recounted the overarching influence of Beijing that extended to the May 2022 national elections, when the UFWD reportedly attempted to manipulate candidates including one in northern Luzon, who was instrumental in Beijing’s effort to oppose the annual US-Philippines Balikatan exercise. “Though the drill ultimately went ahead, the official issued a statement that he would not support US forces rotating through two military bases” in his province, Chalk stressed. “This reticence may reflect that the governor remains under some degree of PRC influence, at least in terms of his opposition to an American military presence in strategically significant regions of the archipelago,” Chalk continued. Chalk also identified “pseudo-strategic think tanks” in the country as promoting one-sided analyses and commentaries supporting President Xi Jinping’s Indo-Pacific maritime policies. He cited the Philippines Association for China Studies, the Asia Pacific Pathways to Progress Association, and the Integrated Development Studies Institute as examples. Apart from using these centers as a means for spreading pro-PRC propaganda, the UFWD has allegedly compromised these organizations’ senior leadership to penetrate the highest echelons of the Philippine government and security establishment. Chalk mentioned a case in point which was in August 2022, when the President of PACS had to withdraw his candidacy to become the deputy national security advisor to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. after officials with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency sent an unsigned letter accusing him of having close links to China and selling classified information on the WPS disputes. The post Proxies and agents appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Decommissioned Navy ship runs aground near Bataan shore due to strong waves
The decommissioned Philippine Navy ship, BRP Lake Caliraya (AF-81), has run aground near the shore of Sitio Crossing, Barangay Poblacion, Morong, Bataan around 8 a.m. on Friday, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. The vessel is set to be used as a mock enemy target against a joint team of marines from the Philippines and the United States in a scheduled ship-sinking exercise this week, during the semi-annual Marine Aviation Support Activity 2023. The PCG reported the vessel was under tow en route to Subic, Zambales for the MASA’s maritime strike exercise. The coast guard added that MT Lake Caliraya’s tow lines snapped due to strong waves, brought about by the current weather disturbance, causing the vessel to drift. PCG-Bataan is currently conducting a rescue operation for three crew members aboard the motor tanker—which had no stored fuel onboard. The maritime strike involves the conduct of live fire maneuvers wherein the combined forces will have to sink a decommissioned PN vessel. This was supposed to take place approximately 10 to 12 nautical miles west of the Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqi Beach on 14 July. Marine Corps Public Affairs Office director, Capt. Jarald Rea, earlier said this year’s MASA is focused on the aligned procedures, tactics, and communications among marines, navy, and air forces. “A semi-annual activity of the Philippine and US military, MASA 2023 hopes to further improve interoperability, allowing both forces to operate seamlessly and effectively in joint operations,” Rea said. Decommissioned in 2020, the BRP Lake Caliraya was the Navy’s first motor tanker acquired from the Philippine National Oil Company. This maritime event is supposed to be the second sinking exercise conducted by the Philippines and the US this year, with the first one was back in April when a PN corvette formerly known as BRP Pangasinan, was sunk off the coast of Zambales after being used as a mocked target by Filipino and American forces during the Balikatan Exercises. The post Decommissioned Navy ship runs aground near Bataan shore due to strong waves appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Canada eye MOU on defense cooperation
The Philippines and Canada are eyeing to enter into a memorandum of understanding to set a framework for Defense Cooperation including the enhancement of interoperability and the development of necessary capabilities in addressing common security challenges. This comes after Department of National Defense officer-in-charge, Carlito Galvez Jr., met with Canadian ambassador David Bruce last 24 May. In a statement, DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said both officials discussed further deepening the partnership between the Philippines and Canada in areas of defense, commerce, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. During his meeting with Galvez, Hartman explained further Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, which offers initiatives and collaborative engagements in the region. Meanwhile, Galvez recommended a possible collaboration between the Philippines and Canada on strengthening capacities on cybersecurity “given the need to secure confidential computer data systems from unauthorized access, data leakage, malware, among others.” “As a way forward, the two officials committed to work towards the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding concerning Defense Cooperation, which would serve as a framework for both defense and military establishments in enhancing interoperability and developing necessary capabilities in addressing the security challenges of the region,” said Andolong. Andolong recalled that Canada was among the country observers during the recently concluded Philippines-United States bilateral Balikatan Exercises in April. “Along this line, the OIC, DND expressed confidence that bilateral relations between the two countries will continue to progress as both countries will commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2024,” Andolong said. The Philippines and Canada's diplomatic relations began in 1949. The post Phl, Canada eye MOU on defense cooperation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Aussie army execs plan engagements
The Philippine Army yesterday said it has started planning with its Australian counterpart their bilateral engagement plans for next year. This after the deputy chief of the Australian Army, Major General Natasha Fox made a courtesy call on Philippine Army Chief, Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., at the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio. Army spokesperson, Col. Xerxes Trinidad, said Fox and Australian Defense Attaché to the Philippines Col. Paul Joseph Barta attended the 6th Philippine-Australia Staff Talks in Manila. Key Philippine and Australian army officers have reviewed and updated the two countries’ bilateral activities this year, along with the discussion to begin the next year’s military activities. During the Balikatan, more than 100 Australian soldiers trained side-by-side with American and Filipino troops. Trinidad said Fox lauded Filipino soldiers for their jungle warfare operations skills. The post Phl, Aussie army execs plan engagements appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Question Everything | Ship of State
The protest of Masinloc fishers highlighted the lack of attention given to ordinary people as officials relish their token role in the geopolitical ‘game of thrones’ in the Asia-Pacific. On one hand, they are bullied by oversized Chinese vessels in our own territory; but they are also barred from fishing during Balikatan war games. Dynamite fishing has been outlawed yet US troops used a missile to blow up a warship in Zambales. The post Question Everything | Ship of State appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
BBM s US visit strengthens PH-US alliance as Chinese intimidation in WPS calls for strong moves to uphold Philippine sovereignty
THE WEEK opened with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s working visit to the US for one-on-one talks with President Joseph Biden. The talks followed closely at the heels of the concluded Balikatan military exercises designed to enhance regional security. Coverage tracked closely references to regional flashpoints in the South Chin.....»»
BBM s US visit strengthens PH-US alliance as Chinese intimidation in WPS calls for strong moves to uphold Philippine sovereignty
THE WEEK opened with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s working visit to the US for one-on-one talks with President Joseph Biden. The talks followed closely at the heels of the concluded Balikatan military exercises designed to enhance regional security. Coverage tracked closely references to regional flashpoints in the South Chin.....»»
At Ground Level | ‘Most lethal’ US drones deployed in Balikatan 2023
Yesterday, the US and Philippine military forces formally ended their 18-day joint war games under the 38th version of the Balikatan. The various exercises, held in Northern and Central Luzon, involved more than 17,000 troops and live-firing of a variety of US modern weapons systems. The post At Ground Level | ‘Most lethal’ US drones deployed in Balikatan 2023 appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Power in partnership: The strategic significance of the US-Philippines alliance
Following the successful conclusion of this year's Balikatan exercise and the announcement of four new sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, the Philippines has taken another strategic step to redefine its longstanding alliance with the United States......»»
Balikatan further reinforced strong US-Philippine alliance – envoy
The success of the just concluded Balikatan exercise was “a testament to the strength of the US-Philippine alliance,” US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said yesterday......»»
‘Most lethal’ US drones deployed in Balikatan 2023
Yesterday, the US and Philippine military forces formally ended their 18-day joint war games under the 38th version of the Balikatan......»»
Next for Philippines, US: Cope Thunder drills
With the conclusion of this year’s Balikatan exercise today, the United States and the Philippines are set to revive on May 1 a joint air-training maneuver they last conducted 33 years ago......»»
AFP seeks more EDCA sites
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said Sunday the establishment of additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites with the United States will provide the country with “360-degree protection” in the future. AFP spokesperson, Col. Medel Aguilar, said the expansion of EDCA sites will further help defend the country’s maritime territory so Filipinos can utilize its abundant resources within its exclusive economic zone. “If we are talking about the further expansion of the EDCA, I think this is possible [if] what we want is to protect because we are an archipelagic country and we have so many islands, we have a long shoreline,” Aguilar said, partly in Filipino, Sunday. “If we are to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity including the protection of maritime resources that should be enjoyed by our people, we need a 360-degree protection capability for the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he added. The Palace and the Department of National Defense earlier announced the establishment of four additional EDCA sites at the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan. These are on top of five existing EDCA sites in the country, including the Bautista Air Base in Palawan; Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro City; and the Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu. Defense only The DND and AFP said putting up more EDCA facilities primarily aims to boost the country’s defense capabilities and further protect the national interest of the Philippines. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured that the additional EDCA sites will not be utilized for offensive attacks amid the increasingly aggressive activities of China in the West Philippine Sea. On Saturday, Mr. Marcos said the Philippines and China have agreed to open more channels of communication to ensure that engagements between Chinese and Philippine forces do not escalate. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang met this week in Manila with the President, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, and other government officials. Qin’s visit was seen as China’s way of countering the growing influence of the United States in the Philippines, with the two nations holding their biggest Balikatan military exercises this year. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairperson Senator Imee Marcos has questioned the selection of the new EDCA sites as they “seem to be random and no longer purposeful” for the modernization of the AFP. Selection process She also raised concerns that government seems to have given up the country’s territorial claims on the western and eastern Philippine seaboard. In response, Aguilar said the new EDCA locations have gone through a stringent and strategic selection process based on the country’s necessities and the need to improve the defense capabilities of the AFP. “In the selection, primarily we relied on the recommendation based on the AFP modernization roadmap,” he said, noting that the western and eastern seaboards of the country were also considered in locating the new EDCA sites. The DND earlier said EDCA will serve as a collaborative agreement between the Philippines and the US, enabling rotational activities to promote better disaster responses and humanitarian efforts. The post AFP seeks more EDCA sites appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippine soldiers teach Pinoy martial art to US counterparts
Filipino soldiers taught their American counterparts the Pekiti Tirsia Kali, a lethal Filipino-style combat martial art developed in 1897, as part of the ongoing Balikatan exercises in San Miguel, Bulacan on Tuesday......»»
Is the Philippines a Springboard for U.S. Provocations of China?
The so called Balikatan War Games involving more than 12,200 U.S. troops are being held in the Philippines until April 28, of which Renato Reyes said: "We are not in favor of escalating the armed conflict between the U.S. and China...We are for Philippine sovereignty." The post Is the Philippines a Springboard for U.S. Provocations of China? appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
In Zambales, 18-day fishing ban during Balikatan ‘highly unacceptable’
A Filipino fisherfolk group decried the “no-sail zone” policy in at least five towns in the province of Zambales in the 18-day run of joint military exercises between the US and Philippine troops. The post In Zambales, 18-day fishing ban during Balikatan ‘highly unacceptable’ appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Solons seek contingency plan for Taiwan OFWs
Senators on Monday urged the government to provide a contingency plan for overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan as a precautionary measure in case the geopolitical tension between Beijing and Taipei further worsens. Senator Francis Tolentino suggested that a simulation of the evacuation of more than 150,000 OFWs in Taiwan should be part of the country’s Balikatan Exercises. “I advise the head of the Balikatan Gaming Exercise — Philippine side — to include in their practice next year how we evacuate [OFWs] using ships from Taiwan to Cagayan or Batanes in case —for contingency,” Tolentino said in an ambush interview. He pointed out that sea evacuation is the most feasible type of evacuation plan to quickly repatriate OFWs working in Taiwan following a report from The Washington Post that the self-ruled island is “highly vulnerable” to air attack from China’s People’s Liberation Army-Air Force and “is unlikely to thwart Chinese military air superiority in a cross-strait conflict.” The vice-chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense also said that the participation of commercial vessels in the evacuation simulation should be also considered to hasten the repatriation of affected OFWs in case a full-scale conflict between Beijing and Taipei escalates along the Taiwan Strait. Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero echoed the same sentiments, adding that the government should have contingency plans for every country that hosts Filipinos. “That should be given for every country where we have OFWs. Being prepared for any contingency is part of the readiness that our embassies and consulates should always be ready to do,” Escudero said in a statement. ‘Proactive’ Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva underscored that the national government’s policies must remain proactive, particularly when dealing with OFWs’ safety and security. “We expect the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to act now and come up with a contingency or a safety and security plan which include repatriation, relocation and reintegration to prepare our OFWs in case of any eventuality, natural or otherwise,” Villanueva said. “We have included repatriation and reintegration programs in the DMW act, which we principally authored and sponsored, to ensure readiness and quick response to such contingencies,” he added. He also said the safety of OFWs should be the country’s top priority not only in Taiwan but to every Filipino abroad. “The government needs to assure that all concerned agencies are doing everything they can to ensure that the rights of all OFWs, not only those in Taiwan but all our kababayans abroad, are well protected and their welfare is on their top priority,” he said. Senator Jinggoy Estrada also said at the government must exhaust all means to ensure the safety of OFWs in Taiwan. “It would be prudent on the part of the government to always have contingency plans for Filipinos living and working not only in Taiwan but anywhere in the world if evacuation is needed,” Estrada said in a statement. “I do not see anything wrong if we will prepare for unwanted scenarios while we are hoping that diplomacy and dialogue between Taiwan and China will prevail,” he added. China considers Taiwan, an ally of the United States, as part of its territory, to be retaken one day -- by force, if necessary. Last week, Beijing conducted a three-day live-fire drills near Taiwan, in response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s recent trip to the United States. Earlier this day, Manila Economic and Cultural Office Chair Silvestre Bello III said the 158,410 Filipinos in Taiwan are “well protected” on the island nation. The post Solons seek contingency plan for Taiwan OFWs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Balikatan a declaration of war preparations vs China’
The Balikatan exercises of the United States and the Philippine military are an “open declaration of the preparation of war with China,” a militant fisherfolk group said over the weekend......»»
Foreign, defense domains of national gov’t — expert
Local government officials were reminded over the weekend that the foreign and defense policies of the country are domains that belong to the national government. Renato de Castro, a faculty member of the International Studies Department at De La Salle University in Manila, stressed this in a media forum over the weekend. “Let us just remind him: Foreign policy and defense policy is the sovereign prerogative of the central government, not local government officials,” De Castro said. “We should remind him of the Philippine Constitution,” he added, referring to Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba. Mamba previously expressed his opposition to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA sites in Cagayan, fearing that the province would be affected by a possible war between the United States and China concerning Taiwan. Last week, Malacañang identified the locations of the four additional EDCA sites, to where American forces will have access. The Presidential Communications Offices said the new locations will be in Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta. Ana town and Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo town, both in Cagayan province; Camp Melchor de la Cruz in Gamu, Isabela province; and Balabac, the southernmost island in Palawan province. For De Castro, the additional EDCA sites in Cagayan should not be looked at in a negative light, stressing that EDCA will boost the country’s military capabilities. “EDCA provides improvement for existing AFP facilities. We are not allowing the Americans to establish a base, rather we are asking them to construct joint locations that will be used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and of course the Armed Forces of the United States,” he said. Sovereignty De Castro said the Philippine government should not be intimidated by other countries regarding its military cooperation with the US. “The EDCA sites are in Philippine territory, Balikatan exercises are being held in Philippine territory, we should never allow any country to question it because this is a matter of our sovereign right — to defend ourselves, to defend the Filipino nation and to develop our own military capability,” he said. “Any self-respecting sovereign country is entitled to that including the Philippines. So, we should never allow any country to tell us this and that when it comes to matters of national security because national security is linked with national independence and of course national sovereignty,” he added. Last week, China issued a slew of warnings against the military cooperation between Manila and Washington, saying it will “eventually backfire.” “Our region’s peace and stability hinges on trust, solidarity, and cooperation and requires that we, as members of this region, take our security firmly in our own hands,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. “We would like to once again remind the relevant country in the region that pandering to forces outside the region will not bring greater security, but will cause tensions, put regional peace and stability at risk, and eventually backfire,” he added. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had previously said that he would not allow the US to conduct any offensive actions through EDCA sites in the country. The post Foreign, defense domains of national gov’t — expert appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»