Sokor hands over 134 military trucks to AFP

South Korea gave over 134 reconditioned military trucks and heavy equipment to the Armed Forces yesterday.

In ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, South Korean Ambassador Hong Jong Ki said his government will continue to support the AFP’s modernization program.

The ceremonies were attended by top defense and military officials led by Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.

Esperon said the military trucks would be distributed to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and General Headquarters.

The heavy equipment will be turned over to the military engineers for use in building roads and highways in far-flung barangays, he added.

The military articles were part of South Korea’s commitment to help the Philippines in modernizing the AFP, which paid for the costs of shipment.

The military vehicles consisted of 90 two-and-a-half-tonner cargo six-by-six trucks, nine two-and-a-half-ton six-by-six trucks with crane, six five-tonner six-by-six cargo trucks, eight five-ton dump trucks, 14 one-and-a-half-tonner six-by-six cargo trucks, and seven bulldozers.

Since 1993, South Korea has given the AFP 17 high-speed patrol boats, along with spare parts, eight F5-A fighter aircraft, 96 Army field telephones and 50 pieces of Kevlar ballistic helmets.

South Korea also supplied the Philippine Navy with 150,000 rounds of 20mm gun ammunition, 16 units of passenger buses, vessel propellers, 120 pieces of parachutes, and two high-speed patrol boats. – Jaime Laude, Sheila Francisco, Denise Limson