Capas: Armored fighting vehicles from the Philippine Army (PA) and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) completed their first combined live-fire exercise in Capas, Tarlac over the weekend. In a statement, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said the exercise was part of the "Salaknib" drills at Col. Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Santa Juliana.

According to Philippines News Agency, the "Salaknib" (shield in Ilocano) drills initially began with the United States Army Pacific in 2015, and this year marked Japan's first participation in the annual exercise. Dema-ala highlighted that more than 200 Filipino troops from the 1st Tank Battalion were involved, using four Sabrah light tanks. Meanwhile, the JGSDF contributed 40 members from the 12th Brigade Recon Combat Battalion along with four maneuver combat vehicles.

"The live-fire exercise followed a tactical scenario that included locating the enemy, fixing their positions, and ultimately destroying the target," Dema-ala explained. The participating troops also practiced safety protocols, including troubleshooting procedures in the event of a misfire or weapon malfunction, with corrective actions implemented to ensure operational safety and mission continuity.

Distinguished observers witnessing the drills included PA Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Efren Morados, Armor Division chief Brig. Gen. Ronel Manalo, JGSDF 12th Brigade deputy brigade commander Col. Yoshifumi Ogura, Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Executive Director Undersecretary Antonio Habulan, and US Army Pacific commander Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees.

This year's "Salaknib" exercise supports the Army's active transition to external security operations by emphasizing combined operations with the US Army Pacific and partner armies. Notably, the live-fire drills were the first between the Philippines and Japan since the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) was signed between the two nations on July 8, 2024, and came into force on September 11, 2025.