AFP spokesman Arevalo: We can survive sans US military assistance

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday reiterated its assurance to the public that it can survive even without military assistance from the United States.

"With the abrogation of the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement), we assure our countrymen that we will again, as our forebears did in their time, valiantly face contemporary threats to national security, terrorism, and other transnational crimes," AFP spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said in a statement.

"We will secure our people and defend our country with the relatively and modestly modern AFP we have now," Arevalo added.

Despite struggling, Arevalo said the Philippines had survived from 1991 to 1998 when the Military Bases Agreement was no longer renewed.

"It bears repeating: We can survive; we will; we should," Arevalo said. "We—Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines—are toeing the line of the commander-in-chief and President Rodrigo Duterte towards self-reliance."

Earlier, military chief General Felimon Santos Jr. said that at present, the AFP has equipment and assets in order to defend the country, adding that the military will continue to enhance its capability.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said the police and the military have assured him that the country can boost its defense capabilities even without the US military aid.

"Sila maraming mga sophisticated intelligence, gadgets. Tayo wala, mano-mano lang ito. But we are doing it. And the military and police said, ‘Sir, kaya natin,’” Duterte had said.

The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, had delivered the notice of termination of the country’s VFA with the US following the order of the Chief Executive.

It stemmed from the US’ alleged interference in domestic affairs, particularly on the drug-related case of opposition Senator Leila De Lima.

Duterte's decision also came after the cancellation of the visa of his close ally Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who once oversaw the war on drugs as chief of the Philippine National Police. — RSJ, GMA News