Jamaine Punzalan

The Philippine Navy decommissioned the BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Magat Salamat, among world’s oldest warships, in 2021 as the country transitioned to a modern fleet. Michael Delizo, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

Jessie Cruzat

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:337px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17464287820641746428778427.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Philippine Navy decommissioned the BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Magat Salamat, among world’s oldest warships, in 2021 as the country transitioned to a modern fleet. Michael Delizo, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The BRP Miguel Malvar, old enough to have seen action in World War II, was scheduled to go out in a blaze of glory Monday, as a target ship during the annual US-Philippine &quot;Balikatan&quot; military exercises.</p><p>The 80-year-old vessel, however, would not quite make its own funeral.</p><p>Onlookers instead watched as the ship, which once chased Japanese submarines and ferried German prisoners as part of the US fleet, sank before the first volley could be fired.</p><p>&quot;The Balikatan 25 maritime strike targets vessel sank off the west coast of the Philippines prior to the event commencing today,&quot; Philippine Navy spokesman John Percie Alcos said in cancelling a planned media event.</p><p>&quot;Due to rough sea conditions ... and with its long service life... she took on a significant amount of water and eventually sank,&quot; he said</p><p>Praising it as one of the most-decorated ships in Philippine history, Alcos added the country was proud to be &quot;transitioning to a new and multi-capable navy&quot;.</p><p>The Philippine Navy confirmed that no personnel was injured in the incident.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zx5lL38-Zkk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>The vessel “was rid of any contaminant such as oil and other substances that would be harmful to the environment.”</p><p>The BRP Miguel Malvar was originally built in 1944 as the USS Brattleboro, a PCE(R)-848-class rescue patrol craft of the United States Navy.</p><p>In 1966, it was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Navy, where it served as RVNS Ngoc Hoi (HQ-12).</p><p>Following the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/30/grand-vietnam-parade-50-years-after-the-fall-of-saigon-0945">fall of Saigon</a> in 1975, the ship was acquired by the Philippine Navy and commissioned as the BRP Miguel Malvar.</p><p>It served as the lead ship of the Malvar-class corvettes until its decommissioning in 2021.</p><p>Despite the incident, the Philippine Navy confirmed that live-fire and simulated exercises would still be conducted as part of the MARSTRIKE event.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/21/-shared-adversity-new-weapons-as-philippine-us-forces-launch-balikatan-1135">&#x27;Shared adversity&#x27;, new weapons as Philippine, US forces launch &#x27;Balikatan&#x27;</a></div><p>Balikatan, three weeks of US-Philippine joint exercises aimed at deterring Beijing&#x27;s ambitions in the disputed South China Sea, is set to end Friday.</p><div><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vvxrd5lvRfU" title="Counter-landing exercise isinagawa sa Balikatan 2025 | TV Patrol" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0_Sg28zIuzE" title="Chinese warships spotted during PH-US Balikatan Exercises | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>The BRP Miguel Malvar, old enough to have seen action in World War II, was scheduled to go out in a blaze of glory Monday, as a target ship during the annual US-Philippine &quot;Balikatan&quot; military exercises.</p><p>The 80-year-old vessel, however, would not quite make its own funeral.</p><p>Onlookers instead watched as the ship, which once chased Japanese submarines and ferried German prisoners as part of the US fleet, sank before the first volley could be fired.</p><p>&quot;The Balikatan 25 maritime strike targets vessel sank off the west coast of the Philippines prior to the event commencing today,&quot; Philippine Navy spokesman John Percie Alcos said in cancelling a planned media event.</p><p>&quot;Due to rough sea conditions ... and with its long service life... she took on a significant amount of water and eventually sank,&quot; he said</p><p>Praising it as one of the most-decorated ships in Philippine history, Alcos added the country was proud to be &quot;transitioning to a new and multi-capable navy&quot;.</p>

<p>The Philippine Navy’s BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) sank off the west coast of the Philippines before it could be used as a target in this year’s Balikatan exercises.</p>

The Philippine Navy’s BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) sank off the west coast of the Philippines before it could be used as a target in this year’s Balikatan exercises.

Warship sinks before it can be sunk in US-Philippine drills

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Warship sinks before it can be sunk in US-Philippine drills

Agence France-Presse,

Jessie Cruzat,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 05, 2025 03:10 PM PHT

|

Updated May 05, 2025 05:17 PM PHT

Read More:

ABSNews

Balikatan Exercises 2025

PH

US

Maritime Strike

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