PCG, US special forces test defensive tactics

EXERCISE ‘SAMA-SAMA’ A helicopter prepares to take off the BRP Jose Rizal as part of training on Oct. 14 in the West Philippine Sea. —Photo from Forces Northern Luzon

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine coast guardsmen (PCG) trained with US special forces over nearly three weeks in Palawan on how to respond to “noncompliant vessels” as part of a “small vessel defensive tactics course.”

The training was conducted in collaboration with the US Special Operations Task Force, the PCG said in a statement over the weekend.

It added participants from the Coast Guard District Palawan and its substations engaged in tactical exercises, “promoting cooperation and best practices for effective engagement,” from Oct. 1 to Oct. 18 in Puerto Princesa City.

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Palawan is the island province at the doorstep of a territorial row between China and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), part of the South China Sea within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

Chinese vessels have regularly harassed Philippine vessels in the WPS, occasionally wounding sailors onboard.

China claims nearly almost the entire South China Sea, overlapping with its neighbors. An international arbitral tribunal has said Beijing’s claim has no basis under international law.

Exercise ‘Sama Sama’

On Friday, a joint naval exercise led by the Philippine and US navies wrapped up in Subic, Zambales. Exercise “Sama Sama,” which was held from Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, included the Royal Canadian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, French Navy, and Royal Australian Navy. Sama sama is a Filipino word for “together.”

During the exercise, participants conducted joint training activities, including simulated maritime operations, humanitarian assistance exercises, and tactical drills staged in the WPS, designed to improve interoperability among participating nations, the Philippine Navy said.

Warriors of the sea

The Sama Sama addressed “evolving maritime security challenges by incorporating scenarios and reflecting the latest maritime warfare and operational demands,” it said.

Another exercise called Kamandag, led by Philippine and US Marines, is currently underway. Kamandag, which means venom in English, is an acronym in Filipino for “cooperation of warriors at sea.”

On Sunday, the 4th Marine ‘Makusug’ Brigade, together with the US Marine Corps and Japan Ground Self Defense Force, conducted a humanitarian assistance and disaster response capability demonstration in Burgos, Ilocos Norte.

Burgos is a town located at the northwestern tip of mainland Luzon facing the West Philippine Sea and close to Taiwan, where China has increased its assertiveness in recent months.

The exercise underscored the importance of inter-agency collaboration and multinational cooperation in strengthening disaster mitigation and resilience, the Philippine Marine Corps said.

Kamandag runs until Oct. 25 and will involve around 2,500 troops. Other participants come from Australia, United Kingdom, South Korea, France, Indonesia and Thailand.