CentCom lacking equipment, troops

CEBU, Philippines - The Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines admitted that the lack of equipment has been a major problem in its operations in Central Visayas.

CentCom also said that it lacks additional troops to augment its personnel in the provinces of Negros and Samar.

“We augmented three battalions sa Mindanao and as of now wala pa kabalik,” said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Tampus, CentCom public information officer.

Tampus said they also need 12 additional helicopters to be used by different camps in the region.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said they are assessing the different military camps to check on their concerns.

“We are doing situational briefing at the same time discuss their problems na pwedeng malutas in AFP level,” Gazmin said during his visit to CentCom yesterday.

Gazmin said that they aim to upgrade the capabilities of the military. “Napag-iwanan na tayo sa region natin, naghahabol tayo to upgrade.”

AFP Chief of Staff General Eduardo Oban told reporters that the most prudent thing to address threats is to be always ready and to closely cooperate with the local government unit.

“The escape of the hostage engineer was a manifestation that naka-focus ang military operations natin against the terrorist groups in Basilan that due to pursuit operations militants forgot their hostages,” Oban said. — (FREEMAN)