Groups protest Iloilo defense drills near coastal communities

By Juliane Judilla

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Various progressive organizations staged a protest in front of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol on Monday, June 16, to oppose the ongoing Inter-Agency Territorial Defense Operations Exercise being conducted June 16–17 in the municipalities of Miagao and San Joaquin.

Led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Panay, the protesters denounced the exercise, describing it as a “war simulation” that prepares civilian communities for armed conflict rather than promoting peace and security.

Raoul Manuel, a representative of the human rights group Karapatan and former Kabataan Party-list representative, criticized the activity.

Manuel argued that despite being presented as an interagency disaster preparedness exercise, the activity effectively turns the Philippines into a participant in a broader military agenda driven by the United States in the Asia-Pacific region.

In a statement, the League of Filipino Students Panay called for the cancellation of the exercise and urged authorities to prioritize diplomacy over militarization.

The group raised concerns over the conduct of the ITDOEx, which it said includes the deployment of howitzers and live-fire exercises in coastal communities.

According to the organization, the presence of military equipment and armed personnel could disrupt daily life, threaten public safety, and affect the livelihoods of local fisherfolk whose access to fishing grounds may be restricted during the operations.

LFS Panay also warned of potential environmental consequences, noting that portions of Miagao and San Joaquin are designated marine protected areas.

The group argued that live artillery exercises could result in chemical pollution, physical damage to marine ecosystems, and long-term threats to marine biodiversity.

Beyond environmental and livelihood concerns, the organization criticized what it described as the increasing militarization of the Philippines through military agreements and joint exercises involving the United States.

The statement cited the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, the annual Balikatan exercises, and other defense initiatives as evidence of the country’s growing involvement in geopolitical tensions between the United States and China.

“The Filipino people have nothing to gain from becoming entangled in foreign geopolitical conflicts,” the statement said, adding that ordinary citizens risk becoming collateral damage in power struggles that do not serve national interests.

The group also questioned the government’s priorities, noting that while communities regularly participate in disaster preparedness programs to address natural calamities, military simulations conducted within civilian areas raise concerns about whether authorities are preparing the public for the possibility of war.

LFS Panay called for the immediate cessation of the ITDOEx and urged the national government to pursue diplomatic solutions in dealing with neighboring countries rather than escalating military activities.

“Our communities deserve safety, not warfare. Our seas deserve protection, not destruction. We choose diplomacy. We choose peace,” the statement concluded.

The ITDOEx, dubbed “Pag-ugyon 2026,” marks the first interagency territorial defense operations exercise to be held in the Visayas, with more than 1,000 participants from the military, government agencies, local governments, and civilian stakeholders joining the large-scale simulation.

Officials earlier said the two-day activity is designed to test interagency coordination, operational readiness, and responses to disaster and security-related scenarios, including civilian spillover, missile attack, and coastal defense simulations.