Lawmaker seeks drones, robots for AFP

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should submit to Congress a new modernization plan that includes the purchase of modern warfare devices like drones and robots, Rep. Neil Abayon of party-list Aangat Tayo said yesterday.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, on the other hand, asked the military to hold joint training exercises with their Chinese and Russian counterparts “for interoperability, now that China and Russia have donated firearms and other equipment to the AFP.”

“I urge the AFP leadership to put together a sustainable and reality-based enhancement of their modernization program that includes weaponry for modern warfare, close quarters combat, drones and robots,” said Abayon, a member of the House committee on national defense.

He said the “next level” program should be submitted to Congress for funding soon.

Abayon said the military should base the next phase of its modernization on its experience in battling local and foreign terrorists in Marawi City.

For his part, Albano, the majority leader of the Commission on Appointments (CA), urged President Duterte to forge visiting forces agreements (VFAs) with China and Russia.

“Since China and Russia have started helping us with weapons, ammunition and military equipment, and their ships have made port calls in Manila and Davao City, we should perhaps have VFAs with them, like what we have with the United States,” he said.

Albano said such agreements are important “in terms of interoperability of our forces in training and especially in weaponry and equipment.”

“Our soldiers might have those Chinese and Russian weapons and equipment, but they may not know how to use or operate them and maintain them. We have to have a framework for joint training and exercises,” he said.

Albano added that such an arrangement would also assure the armed forces of continuous supply of ammunition and spare parts.

Albano noted China and Russia helped the country with firearms, ammunition and other equipment “at a critical time when our soldiers are battling homegrown and foreign terrorists in Marawi City.”

“Aside from China and Russia, we relied heavily on our traditional partners, the United States and Australia, which provided surveillance planes and drones that helped our forces track down the terrorists,” he said.

Albano pointed out that in fighting internal and external threats, the country is now counting not only on its traditional partners but on new allies as well.

Last week, President Duterte claimed that the gun used by a soldier in killing Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon in Marawi came from China. 

“I would like to officially inform you, Ambassador Zhao (Jianhua), that the rifle that killed Hapilon was a sniper rifle made in China,” Duterte told a crowd that included the Chinese envoy to Manila.

Although Duterte was eager to credit Beijing, military officers and analysts did not agree with him. They said the fatal shot was fired from a heavier weapon mounted on an armored personnel carrier.

Soldiers who assaulted the building where Hapilon and Omar Maute were hiding told reporters that their armored vehicle had thermal imaging technology, which they used in tracking down the two terrorists when they tried to escape at dawn. 

When they saw their quarries, they fired, using a machinegun mounted on their armored vehicle.

Officers said a weapon using thermal imaging must have come from the US.