With the threat from local communist and terrorist rebels being reduced, now is the time for the government to focus its attention on the security threats in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), which impair the food needs and livelihood of Filipinos, Partido Reporma presidential candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said.
“Kasi lumiliit na o nababawasan na ‘yung threat galing sa insurgency, sabihin natin sa mga NPA, ano. Maraming lugar sa Pilipinas na-lessen na, hindi tulad noong araw, ‘di ba?” Lacson said in an interview Thursday.
[The threat from insurgency, let’s say from the NPA (New People’s Army), is getting smaller or being reduced. More areas in the Philippines have their (insurgency) problems lessened, not like back in the day.]
“So, nabawasan ‘yung internal threat. ‘Pag nabawasan ‘yung internal threat, bakit kailangan natin ng napakaraming sundalo [sa] Philippine Army? Ang kailangan natin ngayon nahaharap tayo sa isang external threat, ‘yung threat galing sa pwedeng mag-invade sa West Philippine Sea,” the former national police chief added.
[So, the internal threat has been reduced. With that reduced, why does the Philippine Army need so many soldiers? Our need now is to face the external threat, the threat that could come from someone invading the West Philippine Sea.]
Therefore, the country should enhance the technical ability of its armed forces, said Lacson, current chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation.
The Philippine Navy could also use more modern arms, equipment, and ships to patrol the seas, especially the country’s territories in the West Philippine Sea that are being claimed by China.
Lacson previously said he is open to a joint venture with other countries to explore the energy resources such as oil and natural gas in the WPS. He said the country is not limited to just having a dialogue with China on this, as many other nations are interested to help the Philippines on this.
The three-term senator also insisted that the country assert its rights in the WPS by enhancing its presence in the contested region, initially by sending more people like research teams and scientists to Pag-Asa Island, which Lacson and Partido Reporma officials visited last November.
The government should also improve its facilities in its WPS outposts such as Pag-Asa to improve the country’s surveillance and security of our territories there, the presidential bet added.
