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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DND mum on Imee's 'missile' claims; AFP reaches out for details

DND mum on Imee's 'missile' claims; AFP reaches out for details

Published Jul 3, 2024 08:50 am
Camp Aguinaldo.jpg
Camp Aguinaldo (Photo by Martin Sadongdong)

The Department of National Defense (DND) was cold on the claims made by Senator Imee Marcos that China could launch its hypersonic missile system against the Philippines over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) tension.

In a statement on Wednesday, July 3, the DND said it has yet to get information about the Presidential sister's claims.

"The Defense Department has no basis for a comment or reaction to Sen. Marcos’ video because we have not seen nor read the plans that she referred to," the DND statement read.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) expressed willingness to coordinate with Marcos to get details that would back up her claims.

"[T]he AFP takes such concerns seriously. We are ready to coordinate with Senator Marcos to obtain details and take appropriate actions to ensure our nation's security," Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, AFP spokesperson, said.

On Monday, Marcos posted a video on her Facebook page where she claimed she saw a plan that China is supposedly planning to use its hypersonic missiles against the Philippines.

The lady lawmaker said there are at least 25 identified targets but details as to the specific locations were not mentioned.

Marcos also claimed in the same video that the Philippines "gave 17 military bases" to the United States under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

The AFP and DND earlier explained that EDCA sites will not be "given" to the US. Instead, these sites will only be used to develop both countries' capabilities to resist armed attack through infrastructure improvements among others, and the control of the sites once improvements have been finished remains with the Philippines.

The agreement, signed in 2014, allows US troops to rotate in the Philippines for an extended stay, and for America to build and operate facilities in AFP bases both for Filipino and US troops.

Under the agrement, US forces are allowed to operate out of agreed locations that shall be provided by the AFP.

So far, Manila and Washington have agreed to have nine EDCA sites: five locations were revealed in 2016 while four more locations were named in 2023.

 

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