Philippines receives grant of Sniper Rifles, IED Disposal Equipment, PPE from US

 

US Acting Defense Sec. Christopher Miller, with Philippine Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana and Philippine Foreign Affairs Sec. Teodoro Locsin during the hand-over ceremonies of US-granted equipment for the Philippine military. Photo c/o Philippines DND.

The US Department of Defense led by its Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller handed over PHP1.36 billion (US$29 million) worth of defense equipment to the Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) on 08 December 2020.

Acting Sec. Miller is in the Philippines and met his Philippine counterpart, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and personally led the handover of defense including sniper rifles and scopes, bomb disposal and counter-IED equipment, helmets and body armor vests, and other undisclosed equipment.

The grant is part of the US government's commitment to assist its ally the Philippines in tackling security issues including terrorism and insurgency.

It is expected that these new equipment will be used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Special Operations Command (AFPSOCOM), which comprises different special operations units from the AFP's services branches.

The handover appears to be the third from the US government in a span of less than a month, as US government also handed over BMG-71 TOW 2A bunker buster missiles and ITAS launchers, and GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II laser guided bombs last 23 November 2020, and Insitu ScanEagle 2 unmanned aerial vehicles for the Philippine Navy last 25 November 2020.

US Acting Sec. Miller also confirmed that a pending delivery of a refurbished C-130 Hercules transport aircraft is also scheduled on 17 December 2020. A second aircraft is also scheduled to arrive in early 2021.

Acting Sec. Miller is in the Philippines to also discuss about Philippine and regional defense security issues with his Philippine counterparts.

The Philippines has been the US' longest ally in the Asia-Pacific region, and has been assisting the AFP in fighting terrorism through aid, training, and surveillance especially in the southern island of Mindanao where US Special Forces are deployed together with an MQ-1C Grey Eagle UAV detachment in Edwin Andrews Airbase in Zamboanga City.



[1] Philippines Department of National Defense
[2] ABS-CBN News