National-democratic groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) protested near the US Embassy on Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, on April 9, Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor). They said this day serves as a reminder of the Filipino people’s resistance to foreign military intervention and their defense of the Philippines’ genuine independence.

The protest condemned the US for intensifying war games and stationing of military troops in the Philippines, as well as its continued intervention and meddling in the country. These war games include Salaknib, Cope Thunder, and Marex, which are being conducted this April. The annual Balikatan war games are also scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

“These exercises are costly, disruptive to local populations, and provocative. They involve the use of live fire missiles that could escalate tensions in the region,” according to Bayan.

Last year, US troops deployed the Typhon missile system in North Luzon as part of the Balikatan war games 2024. This system remains in Philippine territory despite repeated criticisms from China and Russia, which view its presence as part of the US’s provocative actions.

This year, the US Trump regime plans to further deploy NMESIS (Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System) to the Philippines. This is an anti-ship missile system mounted on an unmanned ground vehicle called a ROGUE Fires Carrier and equipped with a Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The NSMs are missiles capable of flying up to 185 kilometers with a “stealth feature” that renders them undetectable.

“Marcos colluded with the Biden administration and now with Trump to turn the Philippines into an extension of the US military network,” said Bayan.

The group emphasized that Araw ng Kagitingan serves as a reminder for Filipinos to learn from history, demonstrating that we can resist foreign powers meddling in Philippine affairs.

Meanwhile, groups at the protest also expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemned the ongoing genocide orchestrated by Israel, which is primarily supported by the US.