US, PH Marines cancel military exercise due to monsoon rains
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 268, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing arrive at the Subic Bay International Airport, Philippines during Balikatan 23 on April 13, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps file photo by Corporal Kyle Chan)
MANILA, Philippines — Heavy downpours on Thursday prompted the cancellation of the military exercise between the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) of the Philippine Navy and their counterparts in the United States military.
Elements from the PMC and United States Marine Corps (USMC) were supposed to sink former a vessel named BRP Lake Caliraya 12 nautical miles off the bay of San Antonio, Zambales.
The boat is an old Philippine Navy ship that would have served as a mock enemy target.
A USMC aircraft was supposed to shoot the Navy’s first motor tanker which was decommissioned in December 2020.
But according to PMC Deputy Commandant Brigadier General Jimmy Larida, the “minimum cloud ceiling” and the aerial visibility did not meet the threshold of the agreed safety criteria.
“The weather, at this point, is not really safe for the participants,” Larida told reporters in an ambush interview in Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui in San Antonio.
“We are considering the safety of all participants of the maritime strike,” he noted.
On Thursday, the state weather bureau said Central Luzon — which Zambales is a part of — is experiencing monsoon rains.
This is due to the combined effects of a low pressure area spotted 90 kilometers northeast of Infanta, Quezon and the southwest monsoon or habagat.
Meanwhile, when asked if the activity will be rescheduled, Larida said, “We will discuss that matter with our counterparts, and considering this is a bilateral exercise, all decisions should be made by both parties.”
The cancelled activity is part of bilateral drills dubbed as Marine Aviation Support Activity (Masa).
Joined by over 2,700 Filipino and American marine troops, this year’s Masa is the biggest ever in its history.
The exercise will last until July 21.
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