The Philippine Territory

MANILA, Philippines (Updated) — Congress threatens to derail the plans of the Department of National Defense (DND) to shift its focus from fighting insurgency to defending our territory in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

"To me, priority should be addressing internal security. If we only address the exernal security relative to the West Philippine Sea, whatever we do we will not be able to acquire the capability to match the threat there," Muntinlupa Rep Rodolfo Biazon said in a hearing on Monday, September 2.

Biazon, who chairs the House committee on national defense and security, said the Philippines should focus on the arbitration case over the territorial dispute lodged before the United Nations.

Biazon argued the DND should rethink its plan to buy fighter aircrafts. He said the priority should be the acquisition of helicopters that government can use in, among others, disaster response.

"I would suggest you frontload the acquistion of helicopters against fighters. Otherwise, baka mahirapan kayo sa budget na 'yan. Who will you fight, China? Maski ano gawin natin diyan," Biazon added. (You will have difficulty getting that budget approved.... There's nothing we can do about that.)

Armed Forces deputy chief of staff for plans Maj Gen Jeffrey Delgado said they will have to sit down with the lawmakers to explain the planned acquisitions.

"We will have to sit down with them and discuss this. We have a basis for determining the weapons systems.... We have to consider the suggestion," he told Rappler.

Manila is caught in a row with Beijing over the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines has sought the assistance of treaty ally US on maritime security. The Philippines and US are also negotiating a new agreement focused on miltary-to-military cooperation on maritime security and maritime domain awareness.
The government is posed to buy 12 fighter aircraft from South Korea for P18 billion. The defense department is waiting for Malacañang's approval of the government-to-government contract so it can proceed with the acquisition.

Read More:  http://www.rappler.com/nation/37937-congress-questions-plans-to-buy-fighter-jets