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Pia Lee-Brago - The Philippine Star
May 4, 2026 | 12:00am
Philippine Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force leaders link arms during live-fire exercise at Colonel Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Santa Juliana, Capas, Tarlac on Saturday.
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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Army and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) conducted their first combined live-fire drills during Exercise “Salaknib” at the lahar fields of Colonel Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Santa Juliana, Capas, Tarlac.
In a statement, Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said the exercise on May 1 and 2 was part of the Salaknib (shield in Ilocano) drills with more than 200 Army troops from the 1st Tank Battalion taking part, utilizing four Sabrah Light Tanks.
Around 40 troops from the JGSDF – Recon Combat Battalion, 12th Brigade – participated in the drills with four Maneuver Combat Vehicles in the Subject Matter Expert Exchange on May 1 and the Live Fire Exercise on May 2.
Japan joined the annual exercise for the first time.
“The live-fire exercise followed a tactical scenario that included locating the enemy, fixing their position and ultimately destroying the target,” Dema-ala said.
“Troops also rehearsed safety protocols, including troubleshooting procedures in the event of a misfire or weapon malfunction with appropriate corrective actions taken to ensure operational safety and mission continuity,” he added.
Philippine Army vice commander Maj. Gen. Efren Morados, Armor Division commander Brig. Gen. Ronel Manalo; JGSDF 12th Brigade deputy brigade commander Col. Yoshifumi Ogura; executive director of the Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Undersecretary Antonio Habulan; and US Army Pacific commander Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees witnessed the drills.
Salaknib 2026 directly supports the Army’s active transition to External Security Operations by focusing on combined operations with the US Army Pacific and partner armies. Salaknib Phase is scheduled on May to June 2026 following the conclusion of Exercise Balikatan on May 8.
