The Philippine Secretary of National Defense announced on Friday (November 15) that the Philippines plans to procure the “Typhoon” or a similar mid-range missile system. This comes after warnings from China for the Philippines not to stray further down the wrong path. The Philippine Defense Minister retorted that the whole world knows who is actually on the wrong path.
Following his attendance at the turnover ceremony of the Philippine Navy commander on Friday, Gilberto Teodoro was approached by Filipino media for comments on the “Typhon Weapons System” issue. He reiterated that the Philippines “plans to possess a weapon system with such capabilities.”
However, Teodoro clarified, “I did not say it will definitely be ‘Typhoon,’ but a weapon system with similar capabilities.”
The Typhoon is a mid-range land-based missile launch system capable of carrying Standard Missile 6 and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles. If deployed in the northern part of Luzon Island, its range could reach the southeast coast of China and military bases in the South China Sea.
In April, the U.S. Army deployed the Typhoon weapon system in an undisclosed location in the northern Philippines during a joint military exercise called “Salaknib.” The system remained in place after the exercise, leading to repeated protests from Beijing and fueling geopolitical tensions and an arms race.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again pressured the Philippines to remove the Typhoon weapon system promptly, warning them not to stray further down the wrong path.
In response, Teodoro emphasized that the whole world knows who is on the right path and who is on the wrong path. The Philippines will not heed the advice of the “distorters of truth,” as no one in the world believes in China (the CCP) anymore.
When asked if the Philippine military will proceed with the missile procurement regardless of what China (the CCP) says, Teodoro stated that international law is on the Philippines’ side.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is set to visit Australia, the Philippines, Laos, and Fiji soon. Teodoro mentioned that they will review the Philippines-U.S. bilateral cooperation during Austin’s visit and expressed gratitude for Austin’s long-standing support for the Philippines.
Teodoro emphasized that the military relationship between the Philippines and the U.S. has been institutionalized with comprehensive mechanisms such as security assistance roadmaps, bilateral strategic dialogues, and the Quad, and it will not change with changes in leadership.
On another front, the Philippine Navy saw Rear Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta assume command on Friday.
In his address, Ezpeleta stated that the Philippine Navy is facing various new challenges and needs to shift its defense posture from “internal” to “external.” The Navy will focus on enhancing asymmetric warfare capabilities by modernizing equipment and recruiting more talent.
(Source: Central News Agency)