The Manila Times
TROOPS from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Marine Corps participating in this year’s Balikatan military exercise showed their real-world emergency response capability by rescuing six injured civilians after a cement-loaded truck lost control and plunged into a ravine. Four of the injured civilians were immediately extricated from the truck and transported to a nearby hospital. The two others, trapped and assessed with life-threatening injuries, were later rescued and airlifted by a US HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to a higher-level medical facility for advanced treatment. US Marine Corps personnel in the area witnessed the incident and rendered initial assistance, while the troops from the 17th Infantry Battalion under Joint Task Force “Tala” reinforced rescue efforts and coordinated with the Philippine National Police for investigation. All individuals involved were confirmed to be Filipino civilians, with no military personnel affected. A report from Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz noted that the joint response demonstrated interoperability and readiness beyond training scenarios. “This incident highlights the continued commitment of Balikatan forces to respond rapidly and effectively to emergencies, demonstrating strong interoperability and readiness in saving lives and assisting communities in times of need,” the report said. Exercise Balikatan (shoulder to shoulder) pulls over 17,000 participants from the Philippines, United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and France, and is observed by 18 countries. It opened on April 20 and is set to conclude on May 8. Meanwhile, the AFP dismissed China’s warning that the Philippines and its defense partners are “playing with fire” for participating in the joint military drills. As Exercise Balikatan 41-2026 opened on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun warned participating countries, particularly the Philippines, the United States and Japan, that “binding themselves together in the name of security will only be akin to playing with fire.” “We have to understand that the actions of the government of the Republic of the Philippines are one of a sovereign state. Meaning to say, We are allowed to engage any like-minded country, like-minded state in furtherance of our national interest,” Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesman for the WPS, told reporters on Tuesday. Trinidad emphasized that the exercises are part of the AFP’s modernization, making its military more capable, which are all “part of a sovereign nation’s actions to prepare her armed component,” Trinidad said. On the other hand, the constant war rhetoric, rapid military build-up, and illegal presence and aggressive actions of the Chinese Communist Party have been the reasons for instability in the region, Trinidad said.
Go to News Site