Balikatan exercises escalate proxy war during midterm elections

Statement
April 28, 2025

While Filipinos prepare to head to the polls for the 2025 midterm elections, the Philippine government has allowed 16,000 US, Japanese, and Australian troops to hold the largest-ever Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises. The US-led exercises, in which armed forces from 19 countries are involved, are a blatant show of force by the United States in Philippine territory.

ICHRP is gravely concerned over the threat this year’s Balikatan exercises pose to the freedom and sovereignty of the 2025 elections. 

Yet the Marcos administration remains focused on China as the main threat to election interference. On April 25, 2025, the Marcos coalition, Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, accused China of meddling in the elections. Sen. Francis Tolentino presented a 930,000 php check allegedly linking the Chinese Embassy to a local marketing firm to operate “keyboard warriors.” 

In an interview with ANC, National Security Council Assistant Director General Malaya suggested that social media influencers and electoral candidates criticizing the Balikatan exercises are acting as local proxies of China. Malaya stated, “you will see narratives coming from Beijing that the Balikatan exercises are a threat to regional peace and stability, and you will also see that coming from local proxies.” 

While decrying supposed Chinese online influence, they turn a blind eye to thousands of heavily armed US troops on Philippine soil during election season. In fact, by fear-mongering and promoting a “national security emergency,” the Marcos administration seeks to stampede voters into supporting their chosen candidates who will further facilitate and justify the US pivot to Asia and military build up against China. This is political manipulation at gunpoint: democracy under siege.

Filipinos now face an election under the shadow of foreign soldiers, live-fire drills, and a full scale battle simulation as part of escalating US war preparations against China. The exercises heighten fear of external threats (China) to justify their presence and skew voters’ perception towards pro-US candidates like Marcos’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate.

Meanwhile, US anti-ship missiles (NMESIS) are deployed in Batanes, directly pointing toward Taiwan. Balikatan joint exercises involve island seizure operations, cyber warfare training, and maritime blockade rehearsals — not humanitarian defense, but full-spectrum war scenarios. In Quezon, US soldiers have even been seen in civilian communities conducting “civil-military operations,” blurring the line between military and civilian spaces.

While the Marcos administration is presenting Balikatan as “defensive” and “for Philippine security,” communities in Northern Luzon, Palawan, and Mindanao are impacted by further militarization as US EDCA military bases operate. Fisherfolk are banned from their own fishing grounds while US warships dominate the seas.

ICHRP Chairperson, Peter Murphy, stated, “The government and military have unleashed an aggressive, full-spectrum PR blitz to push anti-China narratives – saturating media, social media, and public discourse until these claims are treated as ‘facts’ beyond question. Through relentless repetition, they are manufacturing consent for heightened militarization and foreign intervention, drowning out any critical voices or calls for an independent, truly Filipino foreign policy. As an alternative, ICHRP calls for complete demilitarization of the South China Sea and diplomatic resolution of territorial claims.”

“Elections must be free from fear, free from foreign soldiers, and free from proxy war manipulations” continued Murphy. 

ICHRP demands an immediate halt to Balikatan and all foreign military exercises this election and beyond. We support the call of Filipinos for a truly independent Philippine foreign policy, not one dictated by Washington or any other foreign power.

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Statement from the organizers of Pagtatanim, an interfaith solidarity conference for the Filipino people’s struggle for peace

April 25, 2025

In the midst of the worsening situation of poverty, violence and oppression facing the people of the Philippines, the organizing committee of Pagtatanim pause in solidarity with the global Roman Catholic community, with people of all faiths, and with all who seek justice and peace, to mourn the passing—and to celebrate the life—of Pope Francis.

In the worsening situation of poverty, violence and oppression facing the Philippines, Pope Francis walked alongside the poor and the marginalized in the Philippines, as he inspired hope, sowed solidarity and motivated people of faith to act ecumenically and interreligious to organise for active solidarity to seek peace and address the root causes of poverty and suffering. He was not afraid to denounce authoritarianism and fascism; to name the evils of militarism, capitalism, imperialism and colonialism and name these as the roots of poverty and violence experienced by so many of the suffering poor and oppressed people.

In his visit to the Philippines in 2015 in the wake of the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan, Pope Francis showed love and compassion as he engaged with children and the suffering poor. He further strongly insisted that all were called to structure changing solidarity in action—to organise and participate in people’s movements for peace. He reminded us that:

“Solidarity is more than a few sporadic acts of generosity. It is a call to act against the structural causes of poverty. Yes, there is an invisible thread joining every injustice – and we are all either complicit or courageous.”

Pope Francis also emphasized respect for farmers and the sustainable cultivation of land as key to eradicating poverty, hunger and ensuring human dignity for all. He also reminded us that:

“Humanity cannot exist without farmers” and to “rediscover the love of earth as ‘mother.’”

As we mourn his loss we are “en-couraged” by his vision which inspires us as people of faith to redouble our efforts to build a peoples’ lead movement for just and lasting peace, which addresses the root causes of poverty and oppression, and denounces authoritarian and fascist leadership in service to foreign interests so that the Filipino people may live unafraid and in peace with justice.

His lifelong witness serves as a guiding light for all people of faith, who seek to end  oppression, illegal detention, red tagging, military exercises, displacement, poverty, and all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. His God rooted vision of justice, peace and inclusion urges us to rise up as a global interfaith community following his leadership as we too, hold accountable world leaders seeking to impose cruel and greed filled authoritarian control over an already troubled world order.

We are in mourning. Yet in this “year of hope” more than anything we feel lifted up full of hope as we move forward by the vision, compassion and prophetic love of Pope Francis that calls us as people of faith  to both mourn and organise for Peace and Justice for the people of the Philippines.

For those inspired by the life & message of Pope Francis, we invite you to join us at the Pagtatanim Conference in Rome, Italy, June 27-28. 

Pope Francis – Presente