PBBM orders AFP to reconfigure strategy in responding to PH security threats

Transcript

00:00 From a high of between 16 to 20 thousand fighters during the regime of his father,

00:05 the New People's Army, or the longest-running insurgency in the ASEAN region, has shrunk to a

00:10 minuscule 1,500. More than enough reason for the commander-in-chief to ask his generals in the AFP

00:17 this morning to brainstorm for a new or out-of-the-box strategy in completely eliminating

00:23 the resistance within this year. This, as national security strategy apparently shifts in protecting

00:29 the country's sovereignty from external threats as we hear this report from PTV's Patrick De Jesus.

00:35 The senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines held a command conference today at

00:44 Camp Aguinaldo, where the commander-in-chief was invited to preside over the activity.

00:50 According to AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Browner Jr., the president strictly ordered them

00:57 to reconfigure or rethink their strategies to respond to security threats in the country.

01:03 Considered security threats are the New People's Army, terrorist groups,

01:08 and the external threats to the country's territories and subjects.

01:13 "Our president mentioned that we have to think of new ways of dealing with them,

01:17 innovative ways. That is why we have to really make sure that we study all of these

01:27 things very carefully so that we come up with the necessary solutions."

01:32 The president recently said there are no more guerrilla fronts active in the country,

01:38 as there are only 11 weekend guerrilla fronts. AFP records indicate that in December last year

01:44 or last month, the NPA only had 1,500 fighters remaining nationwide. The AFP targets to solve

01:52 the insurgency problem so it can shift focus on territorial defense. In conjunction with this,

01:58 the armed forces continues to strengthen their capabilities to protect the country.

02:04 For now, they are still in the process of reassessing assets they wish to procure under

02:09 the AFP Modernization Horizon 3. But Browner says they incorporated their desirable assets

02:17 into their archipelagic concept. That's why some of their priorities include ships,

02:23 aircraft, and radar systems. The AFP is also seeking to develop a number of islands in the

02:29 West Philippine Sea, especially Pagasa and Lawak Island. "We are making these features more

02:37 habitable for our troops because we have troops there. We have marines in that area."

02:43 The AFP chief of staff says the construction of military facilities is ongoing in some occupied

02:50 areas or features in the region. There are nine features the Philippines occupies in the West

02:56 Philippine Sea, Patrick de Jesus for the nation.