MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — The Philippines will buy 32 new Black Hawk helicopters for more than $620 million, the defence secretary said Sunday, in the nation’s latest big-ticket purchase to upgrade its ageing military capability. For the past decade, Manila has been trying to modernise its run-down military equipment featuring Vietnam War-era helicopters and World War II naval vessels used by the United States. The first of the 32 S-70i Black Hawks from a Polish […]
Tag: Lorenzana
Pres. Duterte decides to continue VFA after meeting with US Defense chief Austin
Austin is first Biden cabinet member to meet with Pres. Duterte (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte decided to continue the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States government, recalling his earlier decision to terminate or abrogate the VFA. Delfin Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced that President Duterte decided to continue the VFA after his meeting on Thursday, July 29, with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Because of this, he said that the “VFA […]
PHL military mobilizes all assets to transport COVID jabs; military hospitals to help in vaccine rollout
11 military ships with refrigeration capacity, planes ready to transport vaccines (Eagle News) – The Philippine military assured President Rodrigo Duterte that it has alerted all its assets – ships, planes, boats, and vehicles – to be ready to help transport and deploythe increasing number of COVID-19 vaccines being delivered to the country. Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana said that all hospitals of the Philippine Military — from the Army, Air Force and Navy — […]
Defense Sec. Lorenzana tests positive for COVID-19, undergoes isolation
Concerns arise as Lorenzana was in IATF meeting with Pres. Duterte just last week (Eagle News) – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he had tested positive for COVID-19. Lorenzana, 72, in a statement, said that he received his test results on Tuesday, April 6, that showed he was positive for the virus, and would thus be “undergoing isolation” to avoid infecting other people. “The result of my RT-PCR test today, 06 April 2021, came […]
ANALYSIS: China’s strategy of using maritime militia in Julian Felipe Reef, a Scarborough redo, says expert
Us-PHL-China intl relations and in’t l studies expert says PHL did right in sending PHL Coast Guard to ward off Chinese militia to avoid a repeat of Scarborough incident (Eagle News) – China is using a tried and tested strategy of deploying its maritime militia in several land features such as reefs or shoals in the South China Sea, including those in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone such as the Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun […]
Philippines deploys air force jet over Chinese ships
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — A Philippine air force jet is conducting daily patrols over Chinese fishing vessels parked near a disputed reef, the defence chief said, as Beijing refuses to pull the ships out of the area. Around 220 boats were first spotted earlier this month at the boomerang-shaped Whitsun Reef around 320 kilometres (175 nautical miles) west of Palawan Island, sparking a diplomatic row. Manila has ordered Beijing to recall the vessels, describing […]
Defense chief calls on China to “stop encroaching into” PHL territory, demands immediate recall of its ships
Diplomatic protest filed after 220 Chinese militia boats spotted near Whitsun Reef (Eagle News) — The Philippines’ top defense official called on China on Sunday, March 21, to “stop encroaching” into the country’s sovereign territory, and demanded that China recall more than 200 militia boats spotted near a disputed reef some 320 kilometers west of Palawan Island. In what could be defense chief Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s toughest pronouncement on China, he said that China […]
US gov’t turns over P1.4-B worth of defense equipment, including anti-IED devices, to PHL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrYZK1NLxEE&feature=youtu.be (Eagle News) — Some P1.4 billion worth of weapons, including snipers and equipment against improvised explosive devices (IED), were turned over by the United States government to the Philippines as part of the U.S. military commitment to the country. Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller met with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. on December 8. Miller announced the recent transfer of Php1.4 billion […]
PHL defense chief says China fabricating sea claims over PHL maritime territory
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — China’s “nine-dash line” used to claim most of the South China Sea is a fabrication, the Philippine defence minister said, as he accused Beijing of illegally occupying Filipino maritime territory. The remarks late Sunday come amid a fresh row between Manila and Beijing over the disputed Scarborough shoal, which has long been a flashpoint between the two countries. The Philippine foreign ministry last week lodged a diplomatic protest over what it […]
Defense Secretary Lorenzana says he will self-quarantine after staff member tests positive for COVID-19
(Eagle News)–Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday, July 14, announced he would self-quarantine after a member of his staff tested positive for COVID-19. According to Lorenzana, this was as he awaits the results of his swab test, which was done this morning. He said his staff member, who was tested on Friday, July 10, had gone with him to Subic on that same day and to Jolo on Monday, July 13. He said the staff […]
Updated: Defense chief Lorenzana goes on 14-day self-quarantine as AFP chief of staff tests positive for COVID-19
(Eagle News) — Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Friday, March 27, that he would be on self-quarantine after the country’s armed forces chief of staff tested positive for coronavirus. Lorenzana said that he was informed by Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Felimon Santos Jr., himself that he already tested positive for COVID-19. “I shall be on self-quarantine effective today. This morning I was informed by CSAFP Gen Santos […]
Defense chief Lorenzana says there’s no need to extend martial law in Mindanao
(Eagle News) — For Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, there is no need to extend martial law in Mindanao which is set to expire on December 31 this year. While he said that he is still waiting for the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police on the matter, he is of the view that there is no need for its extension. “Masyado nang matagal, eh (It has been going […]





