Rep. Biazon recommends to strengthen internal security, instead of external

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 2): Rep. Biazon recommends to strengthen internal security, instead of external

Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon on Monday appealed to the Aquino administration to consider his request to prioritize buying military hardware for internal security rather than for external security.

Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon said that what the country needs more is to beef up internal security against rebels especially in Mindanao and other rebel infested areas.

“Whatever we do for now, we cannot equal the might of China who had spent decades of military modernization if we are talking about protecting our territory in the West Philippine Sea,” Biazon told members of the House committee on National Defense and Security and the guests from the Department of National Defense in the their budget presentation.

He said what the country needs now are helicopters and transport vehicles such as military trucks and C-130 cargo planes and not the FA-50 fighter jets for the air force which has suffered from a depleted inventory due to recent aircraft accidents.

Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo told the committee that for now they are awaiting the sales agreement from Malacañang, which will pave the way for the start of negotiations with Korean Aerospace Industry (KAI).

He said that the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), a state-run firm that coordinates with other countries seeking to acquire South Korean military assets, would sign in behalf of Seoul.

He said DND is in need of P331 billion for the next 15 years under AFP Modernization under Republic Act 10359 otherwise known as AFP Modernization Law.

Biazon, a former AFP chief of staff, said that he had talked to Energy Sec. Jericho Petilla if it is possible to get some needed funds from Malampaya to finance the needed military hardware intended to internal security.

But he was informed that Malampaya funds is exclusively for power robust use only and cannot be realigned.

He said that national internal security will be affected by Malampaya who likewise needs its own internal security.

“Our military hardware intended for internal security will be lesser because we need to guard Malampaya against any attack. We also need personnel to operate all military hardware such as helicopters and high caliber machine guns,” Biazon stressed.

For now, he said buying frigates, destroyer and other warships cannot send a chilling effect against China but will continue to bully us but if we strengthen our internal security, rebels could be a thing of the past and military hardware in internal security could be tap against external threats.

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