THREE Chinese Navy ships were monitored on Saturday near Philippine and US warships conducting naval drills under the “Balikatan” exercise, the Philippine Navy said yesterday.
Navy spokesman Capt. John Percie Alcos said the naval exercise, which was held some 60 nautical miles off Palauig, Zambales, proceeded “without any disruption” despite the Chinese presence.
“The Chinese vessels included a Jiangkai II-class frigate with bow number 579, a vessel with bow number 500, and the Dongdiao II-class auxiliary surveillance ship with bow number 797,” said Alcos.
The Philippine Navy’s BRP Ramon Alcaraz and BRP Apolinario Mabini, and vessels of the allied forces involved in the “maritime multilateral exercise (MME) proceeded as planned.
“The activities of the Chinese naval vessels have been addressed in accordance with international law and protocols, and Philippine Navy ships remain focused on their training objectives alongside our allies,” said Alcos.
Alcos said the safety of personnel of the Philippine Navy and the allied forces “remains paramount.”
“BRP Ramon Alcaraz continues to monitor the presence and activities of the PLA-N (People’s Liberation Army-Navy) vessels, while providing regular updates to higher headquarters and the Balikatan exercise directorate,” he added.
The huge-scale Balikatan exercise started on March 21 and is due to end on May 9. Among the exercises under Balikatan is the six-day MME that began on April 24. The MME also involves two US ships — USS Savannah and USS Comstock — and a Philippine Coast Guard ship BRP Gabriela Silang.
According to the Balikatan information bureau, the Philippine and US ships conducted division tactics (DIVTACS) drill off Zambales on Saturday. A day earlier, the participant troops and assets conducted gunnery exercises.
“The DIVTACS drill aimed to enhance interoperability and coordination among participating navy vessels through the execution of tactical maneuvers. It focused on improving the fleet’s ability to operate as a cohesive unit by practicing tactical signals, maneuvering procedures, and command and control,” it said.
“The successful execution of DIVTACS underscores the commitment of all participating forces to strengthen maritime cooperation, readiness, and collective defense capabilities,” it added.
The Balikatan exercise also included a Maritime Key Terrain Security Operations-North in Batanes. The event, which featured the US NNEMIS (Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System) anti-ship missile system, was conducted last Friday and Saturday.
The deployment of the missile system for the Balikatan exercise was announced by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a visit at Camp Aguinaldo last March 28. The missile system arrived in the country on April 14.
The Balikatan information bureau said the US Marine Corps “successfully inserted” the NMESIS to test their ability to position platform for such security operations.
“The NMESIS, a land-based missile system designed to target and deter hostile naval forces, enhances maritime domain awareness and strengthens the defensive posture of the Philippines and the United States in securing key maritime areas. The NMESIS provides the combined and joint force a flexible and expedient sea denial capacity, contributing to the collective defense of both countries,” it said.
The US military said the NMESIS was deployed in Batan Island in Batanes last Saturday. This was the first time the NMESIS was deployed to the Philippines.
“We are expeditionary by nature, and training on the Batanes with our Philippine allies and the precision fires capabilities of the NMESIS advances our mutual maritime defense in an austere and geographically dispersed environment,” said Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm, commander of the Marine Expeditionary Force of the US.
“Today marks a significant day for the Marine Corps and an important step in our Force Design journey. The training we conduct during Exercise Balikatan continues to validate our modernization efforts and improves our ability to defend our shared interests within the region,” added Cederholm.
Balikatan spokesman Brig. Gen. Michael Logico said any country, whether big or small, has an “absolute and inalienable right to defend itself.”
“Maritime Key Terrain Security Operations training increases our combined ability to secure and defend our territories,” said Logico.
