Earlier, Chinese naval vessels attracted Manila’s ire as they crossed Basilan Strait on the way to distant-sea training exercise.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines during a call with his counterpart in Manila in the face of geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea.

The training involved three Philippine FA-50 fighters and drills to enhance air domain awareness and joint combat capabilities.