Some fear US-Philippines war games are drawing conflict closer to home
Key takeaways
- Critics of US, Philippine military cooperation say closely aligning with Washington makes Manila a possible target in a future conflict.
- “It’s become so normalised around here, the military, the threat of war,” Mangrubang told Al Jazeera.
- This coastal province on the country’s northwestern tip faces the South China Sea and is just 345km (214 miles) south of Taiwan.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Critics of US, Philippine military cooperation say closely aligning with Washington makes Manila a possible target in a future conflict.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo A Filipino soldier, right, practises holding a weapon as part of the annual US-Philippines joint military exercises called "Balikatan" at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija province, Philippines, in 2023 [File: Eloisa Lopez/Reuters]By Michael Beltran Published On 23 May 202623 May 2026Quezon City – On a highway in the Ilocos Norte province earlier this month, Father Arvin Mangrubang of the Philippine Independent Church slowly drove opposite a dozen or so hulking armoured vehicles and trucks carrying United States soldiers.
“It’s become so normalised around here, the military, the threat of war,” Mangrubang told Al Jazeera.