BAYAN Central Luzon slams Filipino–Australian live-fire drills in Nueva Ecija
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Central Luzon has criticized the joint live-fire exercises conducted by Filipino and Australian troops at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, on August 27, saying the activities escalate tensions and undermine Philippine sovereignty.
“These drills do not safeguard the Filipino people—they heighten regional tensions and drag our nation deeper into conflicts not of our making,” the group said in a statement opposing the Exercise ALON 2025.
BAYAN argued that allowing foreign troops to fire live rounds on Philippine soil turns the country into a “testing ground and forward base” for U.S. and allied military interests. It also warned that the exercises further militarize Central Luzon and endanger civilians in vulnerable communities.
“At a time when Filipinos are reeling from poverty, inflation, and the climate crisis, it is a crime that public resources and vast lands are wasted on destructive military exercises,” it added.
The group noted that the Filipino–Australian drills are part of a series of joint activities with foreign troops, including the annual Balikatan exercises with the United States, naval operations in the South China Sea, and troop rotations under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
“These repeated military spectacles only tighten the chains of U.S. domination, cementing the Philippines as a pawn and cannon fodder in rivalries among powerful nations,” the statement said.
BAYAN called for an end to all foreign military exercises in the Philippines and the dismantling of defense agreements such as EDCA.
“Side by side in defense”
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), meanwhile, said the drills at Fort Magsaysay enhanced joint capabilities in land, air, and sea operations—particularly in tactical insertion, indirect fire support, and command and control.
Naval exercises off Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) and other areas in the West Philippine Sea also included air defense drills and precision sailing maneuvers, which the AFP said aim to strengthen interoperability with allied forces to maintain peace and stability.
“Our collaboration sends a clear message: that nations, large and small, stand together, side by side in the defense of peace and the rights of all people,” said Lieutenant General Jimmy D. Larida, Acting Chief of Staff of the AFP.
The AFP emphasized that Exercise ALON 2025 promotes defense cooperation with like-minded nations, upholds the rules-based international order, and addresses shared regional threats while preserving Philippine sovereignty and operational control.
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