Lorenzana admits Philippines not capable at present to defend territory

June 4, 2018

Despite acquiring new assets and equipment for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Defense  Secretary Delfin Lorenzana admitted that the Philippines is not capable to defend its territory.

“At present you know we don’t have any capabilities to even, just to demonstrate to others that we are capable because we are not capable,” said Lorenzana in a television interview from Singapore where he attended a regional security gathering.

“We don’t have the capital ships. We don’t have the weapons. Our sole airstrip in Pagasa (Island in West Philippine Sea) is still very short and it is (unpaved) so we're trying to also (pave) that so that we can bring in our aircraft anytime… That’s one of the improvement that we are doing so it will take some time for us to be ready, to defend our territories the way it have” he said.

“We cannot defend it in the first place. We don’t have capabilities now so we are making double time... but it depends on the funds that we get from Congress if they allocate more funds for our modernization program,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS