MANILA STANDARD | Published February 26, 2025
No foreign nation or entity has the authority to dictate how the country strengthens its defenses, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Wednesday, responding to the latest pressure from China to withdraw the Typhon missile system.
“We continue to uphold our stand on that, that no particular entity or foreign nation can dictate how we will be fortifying our defenses,” AFP Spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in an interview with reporters.
Padilla was reacting to the latest Chinese comment, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the US-made Medium Range Capability (MRC) Typhon missile system, claiming that the Philippines broke its promise that the weapon platform will not stay in the country.
The AFP official also emphasized that all military exercises conducted with the Philippines’ military allies and partners are integral to strengthening the country’s defenses. She added that it is the mandate of the Philippine military to strengthen its capabilities to protect national security.
“The AFP is committed to ensuring a secure and resilient Philippines in the face of modern challenges,” Padilla said.
The MRC Typhon, brought in by American forces last year, was used to train Filipino troops during the 2024 “Salaknib” and “Balikatan” exercises. This provided them with firsthand experience on how such weapon systems operate, as the Philippines plans to acquire similar platforms in the future.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) through its publication People’s Daily accused the Philippines of fueling confrontation by introducing the missile system, alleging that Manila was using the “welfare of the people” as a pretext for its actions.
“The Philippines’ so-called narrative of ‘the deployment of the Typhon mid-range missile system is legitimate and legal’ is completely self-deception,” it claimed in a recently published article.
“The region needs peace and prosperity, not mid-range missiles and confrontation. The Philippines should abide by the DOC, fulfill its commitment to withdraw the Typhon mid-range missile system, and not make mistakes again on this issue,” China claimed.
Earlier, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. challenged China to cease its aggressive actions in the South China Sea, stating he would be willing to withdraw the Typhon missile system, if Beijing complied.
“Let’s make a deal with China: Stop claiming our territory, stop harassing our fishermen and let them have a living, stop ramming our boats, stop water cannoning our people, stop firing lasers at us, and stop your aggressive and coercive behavior, and I’ll return the Typhon missiles,” he said in late January.
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SOURCE: www.manilastandard.net
RELATED: PN to protect PH territory despite China’s illegal actions: Navy spox
Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad. (PNA file photo)
PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY | Published February 26, 2025
MANILA – No amount of aggressive and illegal actions by the Chinese will deter the Philippines from conducting operations designed to protect the country’s territorial integrity, according to a ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official.
“We will not be deterred by any illegal action conducted by any foreign power to prevent us from performing our mandate. Actions like that that endanger the lives of our men on the sea, on air, and even on land, are not welcome and should be put to stop already,” Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a message to reporters late Tuesday.
He was referring to the Feb. 18 incident where a Chinese naval helicopter conducted dangerous maneuvers against a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft conducting a maritime domain awareness flight over Bajo de Masinloc, which lies at the WPS.
Trinidad also clarified that all Philippine actions in protecting its maritime territories are conducted within the ambit of domestic and international law.
“I’d like first to emphasize that all actions by the different instrumentalities of the Philippine government in the maritime domain are all conducted within the bounds of domestic law and international law in furtherance of our respective mandates to ensure the integrity of the national territory,” he said.
Trinidad added such illegal actions have no place in a civilized world.
“We will keep performing our mandate. We will support other government agencies and ensure that their lives are safe. We will always be there when needed, if needed,” he added. (PNA)
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