More views of the MX-1 Kalakian prototype.
Photos courtesy of the Military History Society of the Philippines.
The MX-1 Kalakian prototype in Tarlac.
Photo courtesy of Frank. Analysis to follow.
(1)-(2) - Fire mission at Fort Pikit, North Cotabato.
(3) - RPG-2 round locally made by the MILF and captured in Buliok, North Cotabato, March 2003
(4) - Mysterious .50 caliber BMG sniper rifle, origin still being determined, Pikit, North Cotabato. US-made receiver, with barrel from a .50 caliber M2 machine gun and a reversed M-60 bipod.
(5) - (7) - Three views of Fort Pikit, North Cotabato
"Pikit, North Cotabato lies along the border of Maguindanao, scene of a bloody fight between the AFP and the MILF last March 2003. Hashim Salamat's HQ is 3.5 kms from Pikit across the boundary in barangay Buliok. Considering the area to have large bodies of water ie. Mindanao River, Pulangi River and Liguasan Marsh - the Marines were tasked to operate in the area and take the MILF Hqs. As expected we did take control of the area and resisted continuous attacks from the rebels to re-take it. But what is interesting is that this region has seen battles between Christians and Muslims long before and has a long forgotten fort built during the Spanish Era. Fort Pikit sits atop a tall hill overlooking the town of Pikit to the south. Said to have been constructed by the Spaniards as a watch tower it was also used by the Americans, Japanese and Filipino troops during their time of occupation. Info from the Swish of the Kris website states that the Spaniards had a detachment of 1 officer and 130 soldiers in Pikit so I guess they were billeted here." - MBLT6
Photos courtesy of MBLT6. Many thanks.
Some more notes about Fort Pikit: The current stone structure was said to have been built in 1893 according to the book "Fortress of Empire" by Rene Javellana, but was probably built over a much older outpost. Per a small reference in the book, another fort, Fuerza Reina Regente, exists nearby, status unknown. The last available photograph of it was from 1906, and it should be at the outskirts of the Liguasan Marsh, which was, until March 2003 a stronghold of the MILF. - Opus224
Presidential Security Group M113 with 1 meter turret in urban camouflage prowling a street crowded with curious onlookers during the 1989 coup against President Corazon Aquino.
Scan courtesy of Barry Marriot. Many thanks.
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