MANILA — A fully-modernized Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will have the capability to conduct more precise, agile and responsive operations against rebels and other threat groups with little or no collateral damage.
This is the main reason why Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison is very much against the ongoing modernization of the military, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said Saturday.
“Operations will be more precise, responsive, agile, and (there will be) application of calculated force to address, engage and neutralize armed threats,” he added.
Detoyato also stressed that a fully-modernized AFP will prevent, if not minimize, collateral damage and reduce human rights violations.
Sison earlier called the AFP modernization a waste of time and of taxpayers’ money. He made the statement in response to reports that President Rodrigo Duterte has already signed Horizon Two of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, which will run from 2018 to 2022.
The project is worth PHP300 billion and is designed to acquire high-tech weapons and platforms for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
“Ang pag-oppose ni Mr. Sison sa AFP modernization ay hayagang pag-amin na ang counter-insurgency efforts ng AFP ang tinik sa kanilang mga balak (Mr. Sison’s opposition to AFP modernization is a direct admission that the counter-insurgency efforts of the AFP is a hindrance to their plans),” Detoyato pointed out. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
