The Philippines and the United States (US) yesterday formally opened their joint war games as part of efforts to further enhance the two countries’ inter-operability across different range of military operations.

The joint military exercises may be the last after President Duterte announced before the Filipino community in Vietnam a few days ago his plan to scrap further war games between the two allies.

“You are scheduled to hold war games again, which China does not want. I would serve notice to you now that this will be the last military exercise. Jointly, Philippines-US, the last one,” Duterte said in Hanoi as he vowed to establish new alliances for trade and commerce.

The PH-US Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX 33) drills will involve around 1,400 US Marines and sailors based in Okinawa, Japan, and 500 Philippine Marines “working side by side to grow capabilities and better prepare to operate together during a natural disaster or armed conflict,” the US Embassy in Manila said.

The military exercises, which run through Oct. 12 in Luzon and Palawan, including waters close to the disputed South China Sea, are part of a series of regular joint drills, the largest of which is an annual exercise called Balikatan – “shoulder to shoulder” in the Filipino language – which brought together around 8,500 troops from the two countries in April.

Marine Major General Andre M. Costales, commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, was the guest of honor during yesterday’s opening at the Marines headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Also present in Brig. Gen. John M. Jansen, commanding general of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade of the United States Marine Corps; and Brig. Gen. Maximo J. Ballesteros, the deputy commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps and the exercise director of PHIBLEX 33 for the AFP.

Jansen said the alliance between the Philippines and the US remains a key source of stability in the Asia Pacific region.

“We share so much in common, right down to our interwoven values: Honor, duty, heroism – that is what makes the fabric of our forces so strong and proud,” Jansen said.

Jansen said the training ahead is specifically designed to enhance the capabilities of the two countries forces and strengthen our ability to cooperate for disaster relief and regional security. Additional focus will be given to improving the combined efforts during humanitarian assistance scenarios.

“The inspiration for an exercise like this is our mutual commitment to our relationship as friends and allies,” he said.

Likewise, the President threatened to junk the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) signed by the Philippines and the US.

“Better think twice now because I will be asking you to leave the Philippines altogether,” Duterte said last Sunday.

The US embassy in Manila, through its press attaché Molly Koscina, said the US “will continue to work closely with the government of the Philippines to address any concerns they may have.”

In an email to the Manila Bulletin, Koscina also said Washington will continue to honor its alliance commitments, as it also expects the Philippines to do the same.

SERIES OF EXERCISES

Captain Ryan F. Lacuesta, Marine Corps Public Information Officer, said PHIBLEX 33 is the 33rd in a series of this bilateral exercise which will be conducted from October 4 to 12. PHIBLEX 33 will serve as a venue for combined training between the Philippine Marine Corps and United States militaries to further enhance the inter-operability across different range of military operation. These include Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response operation.

Lacuesta said the training exercises will be held simultaneously in various venues, including Clark and Basa Air Bases in Pampanga; Marine Barracks Gregorio Lim in Ternate, Cavite; Crow Valley in Tarlac; Naval Education and Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Zambales; Palawan and Cagayan in Northern Luzon.

Lacuesta said the exercise will have three major events: the Command Post Exercise, Field Training Exercise and Humanitarian Civic Action.

The US participating units include Amphibious Squadron 11, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the three ships of Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (BHRARG) –  the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD6), USS Green Bay (LPD 20), and the USS Germantown (LSD-48).

The Philippine units include the 3rd Marine Brigade, 4th Marine Battalion, 2nd Marine Battalion, AW 109 from the Naval Air Group, and one Landing Craft (BRP Bagobo LC 293) of the Philippine Fleet.

Lacuesta said the joint military exercises will also focus on the interoperability of the Philippines and US militaries in post crisis response through the conduct of disaster rehabilitation and rural development activities.

“These will materialize through the Engineering Civic Action Program (ENCAP) and Community Health Engagement (CHE) which will be conducted in Northern Luzon, particularly in Sta. Ana, Cagayan.

In his speech, Costales said for 2016, their mission is to integrate the use of Strategic Sealift Vessels (BRP Tarlac), and other non-traditional platforms such as the landing craft from Australia and small unit riverine craft from the US with platforms and mechanisms of the other Armed Forces

“But our vision does not end here. Our goal further extends its breadth by preparing the grounds for the Philippine Marine Corps capability build up with or without external interventions; thereby including the rehearsal for the activation of the marine combat component of the AFP’s joint rapid reaction force and the utilization of landing and offload sites other than those traditional used in previous Phiblex engagements,” he said. (With reports from AFP, WSJ, Roy C. Mabasa, and Elena L. Aben)

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Francis T. Wakefield

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