ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The United States Department of Defense boosted anew the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s counterterrorism capability with new sniper and anti-improvised explosive device (IED) equipment, according to the US embassy in Manila.
The capability upgrade is part of the P1.4 billion worth of defense articles recently transferred to the AFP, acting US Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller told senior Philippine military officials as he met with his counterpart Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. last Tuesday in Manila.
In a statement provided by the US embassy, Miller underscored the importance of the US-Philippine alliance to national and regional security.
Miller said the defense articles turned over last Dec. 2 were transferred to several special mission units of the AFP to support its modernization goals.
The new equipment will strengthen the AFP’s joint precision strike, sniper, riverine and counter-improvised explosive device capabilities, Miller said, according to the embassy.
The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) lauded the capability, especially the anti-IED equipment, which will form part of the force protection.
The Westmincom noted that in the recent campaign, troops have engaged terrorists in rigging IEDs in its attacks.
Miller also discussed greater bilateral security cooperation to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
In his discussion with Lorenzana, Locsin and key AFP officials, the US defense official also highlighted the P1.1 billion in US COVID-19 assistance and disaster relief for the victims affected by recent typhoons that hit the country.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to visit the Philippines, the United States’ oldest treaty ally in Asia. It was an honor to meet with Secretary Lorenzana and Secretary Locsin to discuss deepening our alliance and supporting a free and open South China Sea and Indo-Pacific region,” Miller told Lorenzana and Locsin.
Lorenzana expressed the Philippines’ gratitude to the support provided by the US government. – Pia Lee-Brago