ILOILO — Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. and the commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division pushed back against accusations that the two-day defense exercise in southern Iloilo last week promoted militarization, stressing that the activity was also intended to prepare the province for disasters, supply disruptions and other humanitarian emergencies.
Progressive groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Panay staged a protest outside the Iloilo Provincial Capitol recently, calling for the cancellation of the ongoing Inter-Agency Territorial Defense Operations Exercise (ITDOEx), which they described as a “war simulation” aligned with a broader United States-led military agenda in the Asia-Pacific region.
Major General Michael Samson, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, rejected claims that the exercise advanced militarization instead of peace, saying its primary objective was to test coordination among participating agencies.
“I don’t think so. Actually, we were testing our capability and capacity to coordinate with one another,” Samson said.
He explained that the ITDOEx involved not only the Philippine Army but also the Air Force, Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, other uniformed services, and the Iloilo Provincial Government.
“It was an inter-agency territorial defense exercise. When we discusses the scenario, we went for the extreme — the worst-case scenario. In case there is an external threat, the processes and systems that will be established for cooperation among participants can also be used in responding to other crises that the province may face,” Samson said.
“We just provided the scenario. Since our forces train for difficult or extreme situations, it is more of a test of collaboration and cooperation,” he added.
Defensor likewise dismissed assertions that the activity was purely military in nature, emphasizing that it also evaluated the province’s ability to respond to emergencies and sustain essential services during a crisis.
“I’ve been hearing those arguments since my University of the Philippines days, and there is truth to the relevance of the Armed Forces. We cannot deny that. Around the world, the military remains relevant, especially when there are threats or problems,” Defensor said.
The governor said the exercise allowed the provincial government to assess its preparedness for disasters such as floods and earthquakes while examining critical concerns involving food, water, electricity, healthcare and other essential services.
“On the part of the Iloilo Provincial Government, while this was a military exercise, we were also preparing for other problems we face such as floods and earthquakes,” he said.
Defensor said the drill sought to answer practical questions about how the province would cope if normal supply chains were disrupted.
“If vessels from abroad stop arriving and products can no longer reach us, where will we get food for our soldiers and people? How is our water supply? What if there is no electricity? Can our hospitals function? Can we take care of the health of our people? These are among the questions we are trying to answer,” he said.
“This was not a purely military exercise. There are equally important humanitarian concerns that we are preparing for,” he added.
The ITDOEx, conducted in the municipalities of Miag-ao and San Joaquin, was the first territorial defense exercise of its kind in the Visayas. It brought together military personnel, government agencies, local government units and civilian stakeholders to test coordinated responses to security and emergency scenarios.
The protest groups, including the League of Filipino Students Panay, expressed concerns over live-fire drills, artillery deployment, potential disruptions to coastal communities, threats to fisherfolk livelihoods and possible impacts on Marine Protected Areas./PN
