The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program is being fast-tracked to help the military boost its ability to “inflict a bloody nose” on any attacker, including China, in the South China Sea.
Defense spokesperson Dir. Arsenio Andolong on Thursday said the government does not foresee any war with China over West Philippine Sea dispute at the moment but said the Department of National Defense (DND) and the AFP “will always defend our sovereignty at all costs.”
“Basta tayo tuloy-tuloy ang patrol, regardless if we are challenged or not because that is the mandate of the AFP. Kaya nga minamadali na natin itong modernization eh. Para, at least, kahit hindi tayo manalo, paduduguin natin ang ilong,” he said.
(“We will continue our patrols whether we are challenged or not because that is our mandate. We are fast-tracking our modernization program so even if we don’t win, we could at least inflict them a bloody nose.”)
When President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in 2016, he set aside the international court ruling that invalidated China’s nine-dash-line claims in the South China Sea, in exchange for economic opportunities and friendly relations.
Aside from claiming they have “indisputable sovereignty” over the South China Sea, China also insists that the facilities on its man-made islands in the Spratlys are primarily for civilian purposes, despite reports about its deployment of military planes and surface-to-air missiles on the islands.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is currently in Russia to scout for the possible acquisition of new military hardware, including submarines.
Navy chief Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad earlier stressed that submarines will allow the Philippines to have a strategic deterrence to other foreign navies.
“If we have submarines, no country will bully us again. I think it’s a high time that we have capability para hindi makuha ng kahit anong bansa kung ano ang atin. We have to protect them and it is the Navy that can do that,” Empedrad said, without directly referring to China.
The purchase of submarines originally slated for the third horizon of the AFP modernization program (2023 to 2028), was moved to second horizon (2018 to 2022). /vvp