FILE PHOTO: A helicopter of the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the recent metro-wide shake drill (Willie Sy / Photoville International)
The AFP denies accusations that the current AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hernando Iriberri does not prioritize issues concerning the west Philippine Sea.
According to AFP Chief Public Affairs Office Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato, it is not true that Gen. Iriberri is only focusing on internal security threats. “The schedule of procurement in the AFP, DND, those are all timelined. Nothing is being scrapped, they are all treated equally.”
Such statement counters that of former national security adviser and former congressman Roilo Golez who expressed dismay with the way Gen. Iriberri is addressing the issues of China’s reclamation in the West Philippine Sea.
“I’m very disappointed. In fact, I question the ability of Gen. Iriberri. Perhaps, he’s better off with MILF or NPA, but I don’t think he has the world view to appreciate the implication of the threat,” Golez said.
Golez stressed that the dispute is the biggest threat the country is facing at present.
He added that Gen. Iriberri showed incompetence when he favored the procurement of force protection equipment rather than the modern military hardware such as the shore-based missile system which can be used as defense against possible external threats against the country.
Gen. Iriberri asked the Department of National Defense to transfer the shore-based missile system project proposal to the second horizon or the 2nd phase of the AFP modernization program from 2018 to 2022 in order to give way to the procurement of equipment such as firearms, body armor and helmet to supply the soldiers at the frontline.
Gen. Iriberri said, rebels, bandits and terrorists are only using improvised explosive devices and yet military casualties have been increasing. Therefore, they have prioritized to purchase firearms, body armor and helmet instead of the shore-based missile system project proposal. (MARJE NAVARRO / UNTV News)