Philippines anti-terror campaign gets US boost
Missiles will help armed forces fight Daesh-aligned groups in country’s south
The Philippines on Monday received nearly $18 million worth of weapons systems from the US to help the government in its anti-terror fight, officials said.
Visiting US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien highlighted the transfer of precision-guided munitions to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the presence of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr.
“On behalf of (American) President (Donald) Trump … I am pleased to transfer a package of precisionguided missiles, munitions ... to the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” O’Brien said.
Locsin, on behalf of the Philippines government, received the package which included 100 tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided (TOW) 2A missiles, 12 improved target acquisition systems (ITAS), and 24 mark 82 (MK-82) bombs.
O’Brien said a US military plane delivered the smart weapons which will aid the Philippines military in its fight against Daesh-aligned groups operating in the southern part of the country.
“It’s a fight that’s been bravely undertaken by the men and women of the Philippines Armed Forces,” he added. According to O’Brien, the transfer underscored Washington’s strong and enduring commitment to its “critical alliance” with the Philippines.
“We hope these precision-guided missiles and munitions will help the AFP protect lives in Mindanao and end the needless suffering imposed by ISIS-East Asia,” he said.
The adviser added that America had been at the forefront in its fight against Daesh and that US forces in the Middle East had destroyed 100 percent of its physical caliphate. “That was a caliphate the size of Great Britain extending across Syria and Iraq. It was destroyed under President Trump’s orders. Further, President Trump gave the orders for a daring nighttime raid that led to justice being brought to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the founder and leader (of Daesh).
“Now, President Trump is standing with (Filipino) President (Rodrigo) Duterte as we combat (Daesh) here in Southeast Asia,” O’Brien said.
Locsin expressed gratitude for the weapons donated by the US. “This is the fulfillment of a promise made by US President Donald Trump to President Duterte during their phone call in April.
“We are looking forward to training on the use of these weapons with the best and undisputed military power in the world and the only one in history selflessly dedicated to the freedom and independence of other countries whatever threat in the world,” he said.
The foreign secretary pointed out that the “smart bombs” would further boost the AFP’s capabilities in “neutralizing identified or specific threats to national security, particularly in counterterrorism operations.”
Meanwhile, AFP military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, told media that “these smart munitions with such capability and precision will aid immensely the AFP in ridding the country of terrorist menaces.”
He said: “We may have been successful in counter-terrorism operations — most notably in Marawi — with ordinary munitions fitted in our legacy aircraft. But with the advent of these missiles and munitions, we are certain that they will greatly boost our campaigns and contribute to the global drive to fight and defeat terrorists.”