KINUMPIRMA ng Armed Forces of the Philippine na sasabak sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ang combat troops ng Japan sa gaganaping joint Balikatan 2026 exercises kasama ang Pilipinas at Estados Unidos.
Ayon kay AFP chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr., magsisimula ang taunang joint military drills sa Abril 20 at tatagal hanggang Mayo, na inaasahang magiging pinakamalaki sa kasaysayan nito.
“For the very first time after a very, very long time, combat troops from Japanese Self-Defense Forces will be coming here to the Philippines to join us in the Balikatan Exercise,” pagkumpirma ni Gen. Brawner.
“I cannot divulge the exact numbers or what type of units are coming in or the equipment that they’re coming to, they’re going to bring here. but suffice it to say that they will be sending now a bigger contingent to join the Balikatan exercise.”
Nilinaw rin ng heneral na mananatiling malaki ang saklaw at intensidad ng sama-samang pagsasanay sa kabila ng mga nagaganap na pandaigdigang tensyon, kabilang ang sigalot sa Gitnang Silangan.
“We received the confirmation from [US Indo-Pacific Command head Admiral Samuel Paparo] himself. He said that this will still be the biggest Balikatan Exercise despite the war going on in the Middle East,” aniya.
“Sabi niya hindi tayo maaapektuhan. Tuloy pa rin lahat ng ating mga pinaplano na mga activities and ‘yung scale and scope ay pareho pa rin,” dagdag niya.
Ayon kay Brawner, ipakikita ng Balikatan 2026 ang pagkakaisa ng Pilipinas, Estados Unidos, at Japan.
“Kung 81 years ago in 1945, we found ourselves on opposite sides of the war, this time, we find ourselves on the same side, on the same side of that effort to promote a rules-based international order. Kasi ang ibang mga bansa, ang pino-promote lang nila ay sarili lang nilang interes, and they do this through coercion,” sabi pa ng opisyal.
Kabilang din ang Australia sa mga kalahok, at isasagawa ang iba’t ibang aktibidad tulad ng field training exercises, command post exercises, cyber defense operations, at paggamit ng space technology.
Makikibahagi rin ang iba pang ahensya ng pamahalaan tulad ng Office of Civil Defense, Philippine Coast Guard, at Philippine National Police sa nasabing military exercises.
(JESSE RUIZ)
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