AFP chief welcomes US support

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday welcomed the quarterly report of the US that showed $61.9 million in support of the intelligence operations of the Philippine military.

“Talks on the matter (of US intel- ligence aid) are still on the higher level and the AFP is yet to be directly involved, but of course any help is welcome,” said Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr., AFP chief.

Madrigal added that the AFP would want the US assistance to be in the form of defense and military technology as well as personnel training.

Glenn Fine, principal deputy inspector general of the US State Department, admitted that the Philippine military still needs extensive support in the field of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

“This quarter, the Department of Defense (DoD) continued to provide assistance to the AFP in its fight against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Philippines (ISIS-Phl) and other violent extremist organizations,” Fine said.

While pointing out that ISIS-Phl remained fragmented and degraded, it still posed a security threat with an estimated 300 to 550 fighters active in the southern Philippines.

Fine’s DoD report, based on recommendations from the Indo-Pacific Command in the last quarter of 2018, was submitted to the US Congress only last week due to the longest US government shutdown.

The AFP has been dependent on the US and other traditional allies for its defense and military requirements.