PH welcomes US defense buildup plan in Asia

Dr. Peter Paul Galvez. Photo by FRANCES MANGOSING

MANILA, Philippines—The United States’ plan of including the Philippines in its expansion of missile defenses in Asia will improve  the country’s “maritime domain awareness capability,” the Department of National Defense said Friday.

However,  DND spokesman Dr. Peter Paul Galvez told reporters  the defense department was still confirming the report and checking which type of radar system would be provided by the US, a Philippine defense ally.

“We’ll look into it.  Still no official communication regarding this plan,” he said.

A report of the Wall Street Journal said the Philippines will be part of a planned buildup of the US to contain threats from North Korea as well as “counter China’s military.”

The buildup’s centerpiece would be the deployment of X-band, a powerful early warning radar that will be placed in undisclosed location in southern Japan, the report said.

The report added that  the US military has been evaluating sites in Southeast Asia for a third X-band and the Philippines was considered as one of the potential areas.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines earlier  said that it will be acquiring air surveillance radar in the next five years under its Medium Term Defense Acquisition List.

Galvez did not say whether this was part of the equipment package.

Under the Pentagon’s new plan, the US will strengthen its presence in the Asia Pacific region.