EDITORIAL — No concern of theirs

There is good news concerning our defense modernization program. The US has approved the sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines, the entire package costing $5.58 billion.

The possible purchase includes 16 F-16 C Block aircraft, four F-16 D Block aircraft, 20 installed engines and four spares engines. The package will also include radars, missile launches and missiles, and anti-aircraft guns.

Just by themselves, the F-16 jets, famous for being versatile, multi-role fighter aircraft capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, with a range of 630 kilometers, will greatly improve our defensive capability.

Of course, not everyone is happy with this development. With one country in particular calling the move something that will fuel the flames of territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.

We don’t have to tell you what country it is. It’s the one that we constantly butt heads with in that part of the ocean. And one with a vastly superior armament to our own that it practically need not worry about us getting a few planes.

Again, it is no concern of theirs what we do. We are a sovereign nation and we can do as we please, which includes looking to our allies to strengthen our own air force.

We stress that our need to boost our defenses is purely for that specified reason; defense. We have no designs to go on the offensive against any other nation anytime soon. And we have nothing to gain from such actions because we know that even with this expected armament coming, we are still no match for some other air forces in the region should it come to a shooting war.

Our government doesn’t even need to justify why it is making the purchase, it is any nation’s prerogative to strengthen itself, but it still did so anyway out of courtesy, making assurances that it doesn’t intend to harm the interests of any third party.

But then again, this nation just doesn’t seem to understand. Oh well, let them grumble and grind their teeth.