MANILA: A Philippine Army soldier was killed, and several others were injured after a military truck crashed along a highway in Pangasinan province, north of Manila, on Friday afternoon, police and military said on Sunday, reported Xinhua.
Philippine Army spokesperson Colonel Louie Dema-ala confirmed the incident, which occurred around 2pm local time, saying the truck was returning to a military camp in Tarlac province after participating in the annual Balikatan joint military exercises when one of its tires burst.
The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, causing it to plunge into an embankment along the expressway before rolling over several times.
One soldier died at the scene, police said. The four injured personnel were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Balikatan 2026, the annual “shoulder-to-shoulder” military exercises, was held from April 20 to May 8 and involved more than 17,000 military personnel from the Philippines, the United States, and six defence partners.