Screenshot of the article "Ship Sinks Just Before Being Pummeled With Weapons In Pacific Exercise" on May 5, 2025 from The War Zone website

An awkward situation arose during the US-Philippines Balikatan joint exercise. A decommissioned vessel meant to be struck by missiles during a joint live-fire event of the Philippine Armed Forces and the US military sank out of its own volition shortly before modern weaponry had a chance to send it to its watery grave, according to Defense News.

The sinking of the BRP Miguel Malvar happened roughly 30 nautical miles west of San Antonio, Zambales, Philippines, a US spokesman for the exercise said in a statement on Monday, according to Defense News.

Still, certain elements of the Balikatan 25 Maritime Strike live-fire portion of the drill, in which the vessel was to participate, would take place as planned, according to the statement, the report said.

The Miguel Malvar "took on water while being positioned," the statement reads, and sank at 7:20 am at its intended location for the live-fire event. No personnel were injured, it notes, the report said.

US media outlet The War Zone called the premature sinking of the Miguel Malvar unfortunate, depriving those forces of a valuable chance to gather data about weapon effectiveness as part of an end-to-end live-fire exercise.

US and Philippines armed forces launched their largest annual joint military exercise "Balikatan" on April 22 in areas facing South China Sea and the island of Taiwan in western and northern Philippines. Experts previously told the Global Times that the locations and themes of the drills reveal a clear intent to counter China, though the Philippines has yet to develop any systematic combat capability.

Responding to media inquiry about the joint exercise, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular press conference on April 24 that China always holds that military cooperation between countries should not target or hurt the interests of any third party, nor should it jeopardize regional peace and stability. The South China Sea should be a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship. 

However, the Philippines holds a candle to the devil by currying favor and colluding with the US and other outside countries to make provocations. It frequently conducts the so-called joint patrols and exercises, and invites and deploys strategic and tactical weapons, which seriously undermines the common interests of regional countries, Zhang said.

We firmly oppose any country strengthening military deployment in the region and provoking tensions and confrontation under the excuse of the Taiwan question. Regardless of external challenges and turbulence, the Chinese side will resolutely safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and firmly maintain peace and stability in the region, Zhang said.

Global Times