THE US government has donated assorted equipment worth $2.3 million (about P122 million) to the Armed Forces, bolstering the military’s campaign against terrorist groups.
The donation was received by military officials on Monday at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga, where the equipment arrived on board a US KC-10A aircraft.
Col. Jorry Baclor, chief of the AFP public affairs office, said the Philippine Air Force received a Laser Designation Systems Forward Air Controller, Air Field Operations and Logistics Support, Defense Advanced GPS Receiver, C-130 Spares, and Precision Guided Munition Tool Kits. The Philippine Army got a Tactical Network Rover and various support equipment while the Philippine Navy received various weapons support equipment.
“These were acquired as grants under the US Counter-Terrorism (CT) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programs,” Baclor said in a statement.
“Both the CT and FMF are annual grants provided by the US government to the Philippines in accordance with its continuing commitment to assist the AFP in its capability upgrade program,” added Baclor.
Welcoming the US donation, AFP chief Gen. Andres Centino said, “The AFP continues to make great strides in strengthening our counter-terrorism capabilities with new and modern equipment such as the latest grants from the United States.”
There are several terrorist groups in the country, including the Abu Sayyaf Group which is behind numerous bombings and kidnapping cases in the past three decades.
