The Philippines and the US held a joint sail in the contested South China Sea (SCS) on Monday, Manila’s armed forces said on Tuesday, just days after China’s use of water cannon injured three Filipino fishermen — an act the Defense chief described as “inhumane.” In a statement on Tuesday, the Philippine armed forces said three A-29B Super Tucano turboprop warplanes and FA-50 fighter jets joined the drills alongside the Philippines’ missile frigate BRP Miguel Malvar, while the US deployed its guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls, a maritime surveillance plane and a helicopter. The joint sails demonstrated the “shared commitment of the Philippines and the US to uphold a rules-based Indo-Pacific region,” the Philippine military said in a statement.

Basilio, K. C. L. (2025, December 17). Philippines, US stage joint sail in SCS after China's 'inhumane' actions. BusinessWorld, p. S1/10.