‘Balikatan’ exercises not aiming to use force against other countries

MANILA, Philippines — Joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States, which concluded yesterday, are not aimed at using force against other countries, said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

“We have been doing this for the past 36 years. These military exercises... we’ve never used even once, our knowledge to fight another country. But for disaster and humanitarian purposes we have done this many, many times,” he said at the concluding ceremony of Balikatan 2021 which had been scaled down due to the pandemic.

What the Balikatan shows, Lorenzana said, is the strong alliance between the two military allies and the resolve of both nations to preserve international order amid emerging security challenges in the region.

“Our success brings forth two important messages to the world: first, that nations become stronger if we work together. Second, there is no threat too daunting if the burden is shared and shouldered together,” he said.

Lorenzana and US embassy in the Philippines Charge d’Affaires John Law led the simple closing ceremonies for the Balikatan at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo.

The defense chief stressed the value of military cooperation between the US and the country, especially during times of disaster and crisis.

After being cancelled last year due to the pandemic, the 11-day Balikatan exercises opened last April 12, but was scaled down with only about 225 military personnel from the US and 415 from the AFP participating. – Michael Punongbayan