NAPILITANG kanselahin ang nakatakdang Balikatan 40-2025 Maritime Strike war drill nang kusang lumubog ang gagamiting target vessel sa karagatang sakop ng San Antonio, Zambales.

Ayon sa ulat, pinasok ng tubig ang decommissioned Philippine Navy’s BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) habang ipinoposisyon ito bago pa magamit na target ng joint RP-US forces bandang alas-7:00 ng umaga nitong Lunes.

Ang decommissioned World War II-era corvette ay palulubugin sana sa gaganaping Balikatan 25 MARSTRIKE o maritime strike event na inaasahang sasaksihan ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Ayon kay Philippine Navy spokesperson, Capt. John Percie Alcos, “The ex-BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) was already within the maritime strike area. She sank around four nautical miles from her designated location due to drift and rough sea conditions.”

“It was reported around 7:20 a.m., and we were officially notified at around 1000H (10:00 a.m.) She did not sink that fast.” Wala namang tauhan ng Philippine Navy na nasaktan sa pangyayari.

Nabatid na nilinis muna ang nasabing lumang barko de giyera ng anomang contaminant gaya ng langis at iba pang kemikal na nakasisira ng kapaligiran bilang paghahanda sa MARSTRIKE kung saan gagamitan ito ng iba’t ibang missile system at aerial fire power ng Pilipinas at Amerika.

Nabatid na walang pagbabago sa MARSTRIKE bilang bahagi ng Balikatan 40-2025’s command post exercise kung saan ang Armed Forces of the Philippines at U.S. joint task forces ay magre-rehearse ng virtual and constructive fire missions.

“The training will integrate ground, maritime, and air-based sensors and shooters into a combined, joint fires network, as the Philippine and U.S. joint task forces exercise command and control while increasing combined warfighting capability, ani Lt. Col. John Paul Salgado, chief, Combined Joint Information Bureau.

(JESSE KABEL RUIZ)