News Roundup 29 August 2024
Aug 29, 2024 • 5 min Read
Brawner: AFP wants US-made Typhon midrange capability missile | INQUIRER.NET – BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Philippines wants to procure its own US-made Typhon mid-range capability (MRC) missile system, according to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr.
Brawner said this plan is part of the AFP’s progress thrust as the country shifts its focus on external defense.
“Part of that advancement is trying to get in the latest weapons systems that are out there, enough for us to develop the intended effect. So one of the modern weapons are, of course, the missile systems,” Brawner said in a press conference that followed the meeting of the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB).
“We are wanting to get more of the latest weapons systems, that includes the mid-range capability,” he added.
Brawner said the military is starting to undergo training for MRC operation in case the country decides to procure such missile system.
A unit of the ground-based missile system, capable of firing Tomahawk and SM-6 missiles, arrived in the country on April 11 for the ongoing Philippine-US military exercises.
Full Story at: Brawner: AFP wants US-made Typhon midrange capability missile (inquirer.net)
Expanding US-PH defense ties won’t entail more Edca sites – Teodoro | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Expanding the US-Philippines defense ties will not entail the creation of more Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) sites, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said on Thursday.
At the House committee on appropriations’ hearing on the Department of National Defense (DND) proposed budget for 2025, Teodoro was quizzed about his recent statements regarding expanding the scope of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) so that it could be a deterrent to a “cunning” adversary.
Teodoro explained to Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas that there would not be many changes to the MDT save for how an attack on the country can be interpreted because aggressors have been circumventing definitions of an armed attack.
“There would be no changes to the MDT, it’s just that we don’t want to canalize on an interpretation of an attack of an armed vessel. This is more for strategic purposes because China uses a non-lawful system of aggression which static interpretation and static processes will not address,” he said.
“So just as the aggressor has millions of variables in its playbook, we have to also re-study. There are no specifics right now that will depend on the recommendations of the working groups on how to make the [MDT] interpretation more dynamic to address threats that we may not even foresee. For example cyberthreats and other threats that China, which knows no rules, may employ. So that is the context of our statement. There are no specifics at this time,” he added.
Brosas then asked if the possible changes to the MDT would result in more Edca sites.
“To be clear, this will not entail the construction of additional Edca sites or Edca bases?” Brosas asked.
“No, this does not entail additional Edca sites because we are sticking to the nine Edca facilities, but it entails perhaps interoperable measures to address China’s creative and varied tactics on a defense-to-defense level. Now there are other ways that China does what is supposedly, what we know is illegal, for example the use of maritime militias, CCG (Chinese Coast Guard) vessels which are actually naval vessels,” Teodoro said.
Full Story at: Expanding US-PH defense ties won’t entail more Edca sites – DND (inquirer.net)
Muntinlupa court junks appeal vs De Lima’s final acquittal | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — A Muntinlupa court has denied the appeal of the prosecution which opposed the acquittal of former senator Leila De Lima from drug charges.
In a decision dated August 7, the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 denied the prosecution’s motion for reconsideration, which sought to reverse De Lima’s acquittal.
The prosecution argued that the court had committed grave abuse of discretion in its ruling.
“The prosecution, in its Motion for Reconsideration, did not even ascribe grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Court. It did not cite any instance in the Court’s Order that, in reaching such a conclusion, the Court encroached into the area of grave abuse of discretion,” read the court’s decision read, penned by Presiding Judge Gener Gito.
“Having failed to cite any instance of grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Court, which is the only thoroughfare to vacating a judgment of acquittal, there is therefore no reason for this Court to reconsider its Order dated July 19, 2024,” the decision added.
Full Story at: Muntinlupa court junks appeal vs De Lima’s final acquittal | Philstar.com
Evangelist group urges Quiboloy to surrender: ‘No one is above the law’ | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) called on doomsday preacher and wanted sex trafficker Apollo Quiboloy to surrender to authorities after Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) members clashed with police forces in Davao City.
Around 2,000 cops are on the manhunt for Quiboloy in the KOJC compound. However, a prayer rally with Quiboloy’s defenders turned violent, leaving at least seven police officers injured.
“In light of the ongoing situation involving Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and co-accused members of KOJC, we urge him to consider surrendering to the authorities. It is essential to recognize that no one is above the law, and facing accusers and investigations peacefully is a fundamental principle of justice,” PCEC National Director Bishop Noel Pantoja wrote in a statement.
Pantoja also urged the Philippine National Police to practice restraint and uphold human rights in servince the arrest warrant.
“We also appeal to our government leaders to act as peacemakers and not leverage issue for political gain. The pursuit of justice should not be marred by the divisions of politics,” Pantoja said.
Full Story at: Evangelist group urges Quiboloy to surrender: ‘No one is above the law’ | Philstar.com
