February 4, 2024 | NEWS DIGEST

 

By API Desk | Date 02-04-2024

Largest Balikatan drills set in April

The Philippines and the United States have begun preparations for the largest combined and joint military exercise, also called “Balikatan”, which will take place in April this year.

Colonel Francel Padilla, the military spokeswoman, said that military drills will “heavily lean towards quality training and will “be held in more key locations.”

Other allies, such as Australia and Japan, are expected to deploy a token number of troops for the annual activities.

Top Pentagon and State officials to hold talks with Philippine counterpart

The country’s ambassador to Washington has said the Philippines’ and United States’ top diplomats and security officials are set to hold a second 2+2 ministerial meeting in Manila in March.

Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said this will be the first time the strategic talks will be held in Manila after a hiatus of six years, as the previous administration favored stronger relations with China and Russia.

While Romualdez did not give any more details on the upcoming meeting, the Philippines and US are expected to discuss the rules-based order in the region, how to modernize the alliance and economic cooperation.  

Navy spokesman for West Philippine Sea

The Philippine Navy has appointed a flag officer as a spokesman for the West Philippine Sea issue as tensions simmer in the disputed waters.

Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, who is also the deputy commander of the Navy’s Philippine Fleet, a major combat unit, told reporters at a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo that they are deploying more assets in the West Philippine Sea. 

“It’s nothing alarming,” Trinidad told journalists. “It’s a normal deployment.” 

Trinidad said the Navy detected about 25 Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy and 15 Coast Guard vessels. 

Under the Marcos administration, the Navy had undertaken a more transparent approach to dealing with China’s aggressive and excessive claims in the South China Sea.

Army commandos kill nine Islamist militants

Army commandos killed nine members of a local Islamist militant group in Lanao del Sur in a chance encounter during a patrol operation, an army spokesman said.

In a press statement, Colonel Louie Dema-ala said two of the nine Islamist militants were primary suspects in the bomb attack at a university gymnasium last December, where four people died and 50 others were injured.

Dema-ala also said four soldiers from the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion  were wounded in a brief firefight in Barangay Tapurog, Piagapo town

The Army commandos were alerted on the presence of 15 members of Islamist militants in the remote village of Piagapo in late January.