By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – Armored fighting vehicles from the Philippine Army (PA) and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) completed their first combined live-fire exercise in Capas, Tarlac over the weekend.
In a statement, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said the exercise was part of the “Salaknib” drills at Col. Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Santa Juliana.
The “Salaknib” (shield in Ilocano) with the United States Army Pacific started in 2015.
This is Japan’s first time to join the annual exercise.
Dema-ala said more than 200 Filipino troops from the 1st Tank Battalion took part in the drills, utilizing four Sabrah light tanks.
JGSDF deployed 40 members of the 12th Brigade Recon Combat Battalion and four maneuver combat vehicles.
“The live-fire exercise followed a tactical scenario that included locating the enemy, fixing their positions and ultimately destroying the target,” Dema-ala said.
Participating troops also rehearsed safety protocols, including troubleshooting procedures in case of misfire or weapon malfunction, with corrective actions taken to ensure operational safety and mission continuity.
PA Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Efren Morados and Armor Division chief Brig. Gen. Ronel Manalo; JGSDF 12th Brigade deputy brigade commander Col. Yoshifumi Ogura; Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Executive Director Undersecretary Antonio Habulan; and US Army Pacific commander Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees witnessed the drills.
This year’s”Salaknib” exercise directly supports the Army’s active transition to external security operations by focusing on combined operations with the US Army Pacific and partner armies.
The live-fire drills were the first between the Philippines and Japan since the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) was signed between the two nations on July 8, 2024 and came into force on Sept. 11, 2025. (PNA)
