April 30, 2024 | NEWS DIGEST

 

By API Desk | Date 04-30-2024

Army kills five Islamist militants in Lanao del Norte 

Army soldiers killed five members of a local Islamist militant group in two separate clashes in Munai town, Lanao del Norte province.

Major-General Gabriel Viray III, commander of the Army’s First Infantry Division, said his troops had chanced upon a 12-man member of the violent extremist group Daulauh Islamiyah (DI) and Maute Group (MG) and fought for 45 minutes in Barangay Cadayonan. Five soldiers were wounded in the encounter with the militants, led by a certain Nasser Daud. 

The DI-MG has been tagged as the group behind the numerous violent attacks in the Muslim Mindanao areas, including the December 2023 bombing at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City that left four people dead and 50 others injured.

New Japanese-made Mobile Radars arrive

The defense department said Japan has delivered the second of four integrated air defense radar systems worth ₱5.5 billion to enhance its maritime domain awareness capability.

Three of the radars are fixed systems while the fourth, which was recently delivered, is a mobile unit that can be mounted on a truck. These air defense radars will be used in Palawan, Lubang, and Ilocos regions.

The Philippines engaged in a government-to-government deal with Japan in August 2020 to acquire three fixed radar units and a mobile radar unit manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, worth P5.5 billion. The first of the fixed radars was delivered last December 2023. 

The Philippine Air Force said that the radars will “significantly enhance” their operational capabilities as these can detect aircraft and missiles as far as 400 miles. 

Balikatan’s Multilateral Maritime Patrol

The Philippines concluded the first iteration of the five-day Multilateral Maritime Exercise (MME) with the United States and the French Navies in Palawan, marking a historic milestone in regional cooperation and security.

The Philippine Navy’s offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) and landing dock BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602), sailed with the US Navy’s landing ship dock USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49), and the French Navy’s Floreal-class frigate FS Vendemiaire (FFH-734) for several maritime demonstrations, including a photo exercise.

The three countries also performed a Surface Gun Exercise to test live-fire capabilities and communication skills. The MME is the latest and one of the key activities in this year’s Balikatan exercise. 

US Army Pacific commander visits Manila

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed the commander of the US Army in the Indo-Pacific region as the Army-to-Army annual exercise “Salaknib” concluded in northern Luzon.

AFP Vice Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Arthur Cordura, who welcomed Commanding General of the US Army Pacific General Charles Flynn, said that the visit marked a significant milestone in the longstanding alliance between the AFP and the US Army, and underscored their mutual commitment to enhance military collaboration. 

The US Army Pacific has been conducting annual exercises with allies in the region called ‘Pacific Pathways’, but is called Salaknib in the Philippines. Salaknib, an Ilocano word for shield,  also highlighted the first deployment of the US Army’s Typhoon mobile launcher in the region. 

Japanese Defense Minister Visits PH

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr, hosted Oniki Makoto, the Japanese State Minister of Defense, for a three-day official visit at Camp Aguinaldo, the general headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Secretary Teodoro, during the meeting, highlighted the increased defense cooperation between the Philippines and Japan toward promoting regional peace and security in the Indo-Pacific. Teodoro also extended his appreciation for Japan’s robust support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) modernization program as it implements the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC). 

Japan has also recently delivered integrated air defense radar systems, apart from the transfer of several TC-90 Beechcraft and a billion-peso worth of UH-1H spare parts to enhance  AFP’s maritime domain awareness capabilities.

Both Teodoro and Oniki are set to meet at the Defense Ministers’ Quadrilateral Meeting in Hawaii this month, where the Philippines, Japan, Australia, and the US will explore ways to collaborate in addressing regional security developments based on shared priorities.