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AFP awaiting probe on aircraft that intruded Balikatan drills

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launches a rocket during the Philippines-US 38th Balikatan Exercises attended by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui in Zambales province, north of Manila, on April 26, 2023. Rolex Dela Pena, EPA-EFE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/04/26/rocket-system-epa-04262023.jpg"/><figcaption>A High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launches a rocket during the Philippines-US 38th Balikatan Exercises attended by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui in Zambales province, north of Manila, on April 26, 2023. Rolex Dela Pena, EPA-EFE</figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Saturday it is awaiting the result of the country’s civil aviation authority probe regarding an unidentified aircraft that had intruded during the live-fire exercises during the Balikatan drills in Zambales.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/27/23/caap-probing-aircraft-that-interrupted-balikatan-exercises">CAAP says probing aircraft that &#x27;interrupted&#x27; Balikatan exercises</a></li></ul><p>The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said Thursday it was coordinating with the Balikatan 2023 organizers after a civilian aircraft reportedly interrupted the war games by entering a no-fly zone.</p><p>Col. Medel Aguilar, AFP’s spokesperson, said it was better to wait for the result of CAAP’s investigation.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/26/23/us-ph-troops-fire-rockets-at-ship-in-largest-ever-drills">US, Philippine troops fire rockets at ship in largest-ever drills</a></li></ul><p>“Mas maganda po siguro na hintayin na lang natin,” Aguilar told reporters when asked if he considered this as a threat.</p><p>“But kami naman kasi, alam mo sa exercise, while foremost sa ating objective ay matuto at mapalakas ang ating depensa, safety is always paramount. So, let’s just wait for the result of investigation kung ito ay ginagawa ng CAAP,” he added.</p><p>It was reported by members of the media covering the event that the April 26 drills in San Antonio town in Zambales delayed the war games, after the civilian aircraft was detected by radar. The objective was to sink the decades-old ship, which represented an enemy vessel approaching the Philippine shore.</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, as well as several high-ranking Filipino officials, were present during the event. </p><p>The military aims to boost Manila&#x27;s military capability while serving as a US show of support for its Asian ally as China&#x27;s assertiveness in the region grows stronger.</p><p>Nearly 18,000 troops have taken part in the annual exercises dubbed Balikatan, or &quot;shoulder to shoulder&quot;, in Tagalog. </p><p>RELATED VIDEO</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uZJXbjIqxUI?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The CAAP said it was coordinating with the Balikatan 2023 organizers after a civilian aircraft reportedly interrupted the war games by entering a no-fly zone.

AFP awaiting probe on aircraft that intruded Balikatan drills

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AFP awaiting probe on aircraft that intruded Balikatan drills

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 29, 2023 08:25 PM PHT

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