7-day joint Philippine-Indonesian Army tactical exercise in Mindanao launched

COTABATO CITY— Philippine Army officials and counterparts from Indonesia on Wednesday launched a week-long joint military exercise in Maguindanao del Norte province in the Bangsamoro region.

The bilateral activity, dubbed PHILINDO STRIKE IV-2024, is focused on public safety operations, anti-terror, emergency response and community peacebuilding maneuvers.

Major Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, commander of 6th Infantry Division, told reporters on Thursday that the opening program for the exercise was facilitated by his subordinates, Col. Edgar Catu, and Col. Jose Ambrosio Rustia.

The Indonesian contingent to the PHILINDO STRIKE IV-2024 is led by Col. Yoki Malinton Kurniafari of the 11th Infantry Brigade Badik Sakti of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat.

Rustia, in a message during Wednesday’s event in Camp Siongco in Barangay Awang in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, said the exercise would bolster security cooperation between Indonesia and the Philippines.

"This exercise is a very significant step forward in strengthening military cooperation between our nations," Rustia said.

The 6th ID, covering Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces and the cities of Cotabato, Tacurong, Koronadal and General Santos City, is touted as the largest Army division in Mindanao.

Units of 6th ID and local government units had secured the surrender in batches, since 2017, of 712 members of the outlawaed allies Dawlah Islamiya and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and 397 New People’s Army guerillas via backchannel negotiations.