THE OPENING OF Balikatan 39-24 was met by protests of democratic organizations on April 22. Led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), they protested before the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City calling for a stop to the war games of US and Philippine military troops in the country.

On April 26, workers marched to the US embassy to denounce the ongoing Balikatan war games. The action is the third in a series of Friday protests launched by Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) in April. Groups from Southern Tagalog also protested near the US embassy on May 5, and women’s groups on May 6.

Meanwhile, Bayan-Ilocos condemned the conduct of some elements of Balikatan 39-24 in the region. At least 2,000 Philippine and US military troops went to Ilocos for the war games. The live-fire exercises will be held at the La Paz sand dunes in Barangay La Paz, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. US and Philippine forces will also blow up and sink the decommissioned BRP Lake Caliraya ship in the ocean facing the province. This will greatly harm the livelihood of people in the region, especially that of fisherfolk who are being banned from fishing.