PHL-US combat drills in Maguindanao del Norte in full swing

COTABATO CITY — Military and police snipers practiced long-range nighttime target shooting at an Army training school in Datu Odin Sinsuat town on Friday, as part of the joint Marine Exercise 2025.

The Marine Exercise 2025 was launched last week in Camp Iranun in Barira, Maguindanao del Norte by representatives from the United States Marine Corps and officials of the Philippine Navy’s 1st Marine Brigade, which is based in the area.

Officials of the 1st Marine Brigade and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) told reporters on Sunday that Filipino marines, army, and police personnel and members of the Philippine Coast Guard participated in the live-fire marksmanship training on Friday at 6th ID’s training school in Barangay Semba in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

Local executives in Maguindanao del Norte’s Parang, Barira, Buldon, Datu Odin Sinsuat, and Datu Blah Sinsuat towns are supporting the Marine Exercise 2025.

The local government unit in the seaside Datu Blah Sinsuat is now preparing to host the April 9 Philippine-US Marine joint amphibious assault exercise in its municipal capital, Barangay Pura.

“Our municipality will benefit much from this exercise economy-wise. There are other towns in our province that have coastal areas but this will be held in Datu Blah Sinsuat. It will boost the image of our municipality as a good investment destination,” said Mayor Marshal I. Sinsuat, chairperson of their multi-sector Municipal Peace and Order Council.

The April 9 amphibious combat drill in Datu Blah Sinsuat shall mark the culmination of the Marine Exercise 2025. — John Felix M. Unson