Duterte on the purchase of fighter jets: A waste of money
- The outgoing Aquino administration purchased twelve (12) FA-50 fighter trainer jets
- Incoming President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte thinks the acquisition is just a waste of money
- The country should prioritize internal security problems more than these extravagant but useless purchases
President-elect Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte expressed his dismay regarding the purchase of 12 FA-50 fighter trainer jets of the Aquino administration for 18.9 billion pesos.
To improve the territorial defense capabilities of the country, the Aquino administration decided to purchase 12 FA-50 jets from Korea Aerospace Industries in South Korea. Two jets were already delivered in November last year while the remaining jets are to be delivered next year.
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For Duterte, the purchase is just a waste of money because air assets are solely used in today’s time for ceremonies. He also said that using the jets to fight insurgency is a futile act. The two jets that were delivered are not sufficient to scare China, the assertive nation occupying Philippines’ Scarborough Shoal which is within the exclusive economic zone of the country.
“We only have, what, two FA-50s? Why did you buy that?” Duterte said Tuesday at a business forum in Davao City.
“To the Air Force, do not misconstrue me. I’m a Filipino. I’m a citizen of this country and I have every right to say what I want to say. Sayang ang pera dun. You cannot use them for anti-insurgency, which is the problem at the moment. You can only use these for ceremonial fly-by,” he added.
(To the Air Force, do not misconstrue me. I’m a Filipino. I’m a citizen of this country and I have every right to say what I want to say. We just wasted money on that. You cannot use them for anti-insurgency, which is the problem at the moment. You can only use these for ceremonial fly-by.)
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According to the crime-busting leader, the internal security problems of the country should be prioritized. Promotion of tourism and foreign investments would be achieved as a result of solving security problems.
“If we had night vision goggles, we could have caught up with these guys and if we had fast boat, we could have pursued them,” he said, referring to the kidnapping of one Filipina and three foreigners in Davao last year.
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Source: KAMI.com.gh
