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

DAVAO CITY (April 8) –— Military and police snipers conducted nighttime long-range marksmanship training at an Army training facility in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, on Friday, as part of the ongoing Philippine-U.S. Marine Exercise 2025.

The joint drills, which feature interoperability training between Filipino and American forces, began last week at Camp Iranun in Barira. They are jointly led by the United States Marine Corps and the Philippine Navy’s 1st Marine Brigade, which is headquartered in the region.

Officials from the 1st Marine Brigade and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) confirmed that personnel from the Philippine Marines, Army, Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Philippine Coast Guard joined the live-fire marksmanship exercise held at the 6ID’s training school in Barangay Semba, Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Local government units in Parang, Barira, Buldon, Datu Odin Sinsuat, and Datu Blah Sinsuat have expressed full support for the military training activities, recognizing the strategic and economic benefits these exercises bring to the region.

Mayor Marshal I. Sinsuat of Datu Blah Sinsuat, who also chairs the town’s Municipal Peace and Order Council, said preparations are underway for the joint amphibious assault drill scheduled for April 9 in Barangay Pura, the town’s municipal capital.

“Our municipality will benefit much from this exercise, especially regarding local economic activity. While other towns also have coastal areas, the culminating amphibious drill will be held in Datu Blah Sinsuat,” Sinsuat said.

“This boosts our profile as a secure and promising investment destination.”

The April 9 amphibious assault exercise will culminate in Marine Exercise 2025, which will showcase combined tactical operations, beach landings, and coastal defense maneuvers between the U.S. and Philippine Marine forces.

The joint exercise is part of the broader PH-US defense cooperation agenda, which aims to enhance interoperability, joint readiness, and security coordination—particularly in southern Philippine regions, where security challenges are both land- and maritime-based.