‘Timely Balikatan’ made PH troops ‘more capable’ in fighting terrorists, says military chief

THIS year’s Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises were “timely and relevant” as they were held close to the 1st anniversary of the Marawi siege and the Filipino soldiers were provided enough lessons on how to fight terrorists, Armed Forces Chief Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Friday.

“It can be said that this year’s culmination [of Balikatan] is very timely and relevant to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as we also near the first year’s commemoration of the Marawi siege and its eventual liberation from the hands of the Maute group,” Galvez said during the closing ceremonies of the 34^th iteration of the exercises between the Philippines and the US.