The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) condemns in the strongest terms the increasing foreign military presence in the Philippines via Exercise ALON and a new defense deal between Australia and the Philippines.
Exercise ALON, a joint Australia – Philippines exercise which included US and Canadian forces, was conducted between August 15 and 29 in Palawan and Luzon. ALON is the largest overseas joint force projection activity that Australia has conducted in the region in recent history. It involved 1,600 troops from Australia, 1,525 from the Philippines, 350 from the US Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, and 180 from the Royal Canadian Navy.
Amid ALON 2025, Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles was in Manila to negotiate a higher-level Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between the two countries, which they aim to sign in August 2026. The DCA appears to be aimed at Australia building new military facilities in the Philippines, to be used in a higher tempo of military exercises.
While the details of the DCA have not been disclosed, Marles said Australia has eyes on “eight different infrastructure projects across five different locations” in the Philippines. For sure, the deal means greater foreign military presence in a country the US is already using as a major base for troops as it conducts preparations for war with China.
“How can the Filipino people exercise their basic human right to self-determination when their country is the playground for ever more foreign troops with more and more sophisticated weapons?” asked ICHRP Chairperson Peter Murphy.
Australia’s intensifying military presence in the Philippines is underpinned by a 1995 Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperative Defence Activities, the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement of 2012, and the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program (EDCP) of 2019-21.The agreement flows from a 2023 Strategic Partnership Agreement between the two countries, which commits them to an annual ministerial-level defense meeting, as well as exercises and operations between the two defense forces.
Marles told the Philippine media, “We are two countries, both of which share values, democracies, freedom of speech. We are committed to the rule of law …”
Murphy challenged Marles to explain how the rule of law works in the Philippines, given that its most recent President, Rodrigo Duterte, is under arrest at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines continues to commit violations of International Humanitarian Law at a rapid pace. “The Philippine government and justice system totally failed its people, but Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister is doing his best to whitewash the reality,” Murphy said.
More Background on Exercise ALON
Exercise Alon was first held in 2023 and aims to demonstrate the ability of Australia and the Philippines to practice high-end amphibious warfighting skills together. The Australian, Philippine and Canadian navies contributed a guided missile destroyer, two guided missile frigates and associated helicopters. Australia provided fighter, transport, air tanker and surveillance aircraft, while the Philippines contributed fighters and ground attack aircraft and helicopters. These forces conducted amphibious landing operations and maritime manoeuvres as well as live-fire exercises at military training ranges and in maritime areas.
